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Weekend of fresh achievement for Branden Grace and Andrew Johnston

By: Golfshake Editor | Sun 17 Apr 2016


Post by Golf Writer Kieran Clark


BRANDEN GRACE shot a brilliant final-round of 66 to claim his maiden victory on the PGA Tour with the RBC Heritage at the majestic Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island.

The 27-year-old South African – already a winner in Qatar this year – has progressively become one of the most consistent players in the game, continually impressing since his stunning European Tour breakthrough in 2012, when he notched five titles on the circuit. Having firmly contended at the U.S. Open and Open Championships last summer, the Pretoria-born-golfer has further underlined his major credentials in recent times.

Former world number one Luke Donald had led after 54-holes at a venue where he had previously finished runner-up on three occasions. Looking to establish himself as a winner once again having missed out on the Masters last week for the first time since 2004, the 38-year-old shot a level-par round of 71 to finish two shots back of Grace alongside Scotland’s Russell Knox on eight-under.

The 30-year-old from Inverness had capitulated himself into contention with a front-nine of 32, but found his progress stalled after a bogey on the 12th. Despite a birdie on the 16th, the winner of the WGC HSBC Champions last winter couldn’t quite match the form of the imperious Grace, but now finds himself elevated up to a lofty 3rd in the FedEx Cup Standings.

For the masterful South African, he opened with two birdies, before adding three more on the first nine. Turning for home, the world number 14 made consecutive birdies on the 12 and 13th to take control of the widely popular event that has long found himself as the comedown from Augusta.

It would not be a completely smooth finish, as he found the greenside bunker on the 16th  courtesy of a weak approach, but a fantastic up-and-down maintained a three-shot lead. He wouldn’t repeat that feat on the following hole, however, with a missed par putt on the 17th putting just enough pressure on that famous 18th, which boasts the widest fairway on the most narrow of courses.

But like the strong closer he has long proven himself to be, Grace made a solid par after a powerful drive to open his title account on the PGA Tour. "I had to stay patient and grind it and that's what I managed to do," Grace said afterwards.

"I'm stoked. It's come very quick and I'm just grateful to be in this position."

It is a position that Luke Donald will have to wait to rediscover for at least another week, but the former Ryder Cup player can take encouragement from a performance that recalibrates his career in an upwards direction. Having sat at home while the English dominated at Augusta National, that national inspiration may have just had an influence in the game of the five-time PGA Tour winner.

Bryson DeChambeau, low amateur at the Masters, finished in a stunning tie for fourth in his professional debut, having led field in the strokes-gained tee-to-green statistics. The 22-year-old further underlined his status as one of the most potentially exciting players in the game, and this performance has done nothing to dissipate that hype. Take a look at the COBRA Puma clubs that he used to earn that lucrative first cheque as a pro.

Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y014gAIjmsU

Real Club Valderrama Open de Espana

The European Tour made its long-awaited return to the iconic Valderrama after an absence of five years, and the former Ryder Cup venue proved to be a formidable challenge for the assembled field at the Real Club Valderrama Open de España, Hosted by the Sergio Garcia Foundation.

With thick rough and firm greens adding to the difficulty of an already tight and uncooperative layout, the event would see the highest winning score in a non-major since the 1996 Scottish Open at Carnoustie. Under-par rounds came at a premium over the four days, but Andrew Johnston was one man who managed to achieve one on Sunday to secure his maiden title on the circuit.

Starting the day tied alongside Joost Luiten at two-over, the 27-year-old from London shot a one-under round of 70 to edge ahead of the Dutchman and the tournament host to claim a priceless triumph at one of the most famed courses in Europe.

"I drove the ball well all week, chipped and putted well all week, I struggled a bit with my irons the first three days but I just kept going and kept digging in and then on the fourth I found something," said the two-time winner on the Challenge Tour.

"I came off the course and I just started crying with the emotion of it. It's just very surreal and I don't think it will hit me for a few days.”

Nicknamed ‘Beef’ by everyone on the tour, the impressively bearded Johnston has etched his name into the history of an event that began way back in 1912. Former Open champion Arnaud Massy won that year, just the first of numerous great players to have won the Spanish Open.

“It is what you dream of to have your name on a trophy alongside so many special names like Seve, Faldo (and) Langer,” he added.

"You see them winning these tournaments, and the history of it and all these names, so to put mine on there feels pretty ridiculous, really. It really does.

"Hopefully I can be one of those guys who has an incredible career like that and people are sitting here in the future going, 'oh, Beef's on there'. It's pretty incredible."

Sergio Garcia – straight off the plane from Augusta – made a valiant attempt to win the event that is affiliated with his ever-growing foundation, producing six birdies on route to a final round of 67 that brought him to within two shots of Johnston.

A disappointing bogey on the 18th ultimately saw his challenge fade, but it was a more than satisfying week for 36-year-old – who won the Andalucía Masters at Valderrama in 2011 – in his capacity as tournament host on a course that ranks among his favourites in the world.

"I am just short," said the 11-time European Tour winner. "But I've done my best – it's one of those things – I got a massive flyer on the last. I left myself in a tough spot, but still thought I'd chip that in but unfortunately it didn't happen.

"It was exciting today, I played very nicely – even though my wrist was giving me a little bit of trouble. But I managed to hit a lot of great shots, I made some great recoveries and holed some nice putts.

"I'm proud the way the tournament has gone, and the way I have played having played four weeks in a row, which is tiring, but we've raised a lot of money for our foundation."

Soren Kjeldsen – who contended at the Masters – and defending champion James Morrison finished in a tie for fourth, while Alex Noren, Ross Fisher and Michael Lorenzo Vera were joined by Martin Kaymer in sixth. The German has led during the final round, before succumbing to a back-nine of 39 in what was a golden opportunity for the two-time major champion to claim his first win since 2014.

Inexplicably, Real Madrid and Wales footballer Gareth Bale was in attendance for the final day, but was watching Sergio Garcia from INSIDE the ropes. We can only suppose that such lofty sporting status grants someone access to the fairways of a European Tour event.


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Tags: PGA Tour european tour



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