JOHANNESBURG - South Africa’s Branden Grace has risen 15 spots to 29th in the world golf rankings following his win in the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Sunday.
Grace fired a final round six-under 66 to finish on 11-under at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City, one shot ahead of Scotland’s Scott Jamieson.
Grace was aiming to become the first SA winner of Africa’s Major in a decade since Trevor Immelman’s triumph in 2007 - and did so in fine style with a stellar finish to his round with a tournament-winning birdie on the par three 16th as he holed a monster putt of 40 feet.
The 29-year-old is still some way off his career-best ranking of 10th he reached on three separate occasions in 2016.
The eight-time European Tour winner has also leapfrogged Charl Schwartzel to number two in SA rankings, with the 2011 Masters champion remaining 33rd in the world.
Louis Oosthuizen stays the top-ranked South African in the rankings at number 22, moving up one place following his share of eighth at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
Dylan Frittelli is the fourth SA player in the rankings, in 78th position having started out 2017 in 152nd place.