GOLF NEWS - In this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, Richard Sterne will be hoping to go one better than last year, and Branden Grace is aiming at a repeat of his 2012 heroics.
Twelve months ago Sterne broke 70 in all four rounds over the St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns courses to finish on 269 and tie for second with England’s Ross Fisher, with another Englishman – Tyrrell Hatton, cruising to victory, his first on the European Tour, on 265 which included a record 62 in the third round on St Andrews’ iconic Old Course.
Grace was the Links champion in 2012 when he blitzed Kingsbarns with a sublime 12-under-par 60 in round one, and – although he has slipped a touch down the rankings this year – snatching a half with none other than world No 1 Dustin Johnson in their Presidents Cup clash at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey on Sunday has boosted his confidence ahead of this week's Scottish celebration of links golf.
Grace, of course, played that amazing recovery with his very difficult chip shot from behind the 18th green to save par and ensure he shared the honours with the big-hitting American.
Grace is clearly capable of bringing golf courses to their knees, and – it will be remembered - he did so in this year’s British Open at Royal Birkdale when he became the first player in Major-championship history to shoot a sub-63 round, when he brushed in a three-foot par putt on the 18th hole for an eight-under 62.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship may be played in Scotland and is part of the European Tour, but it always has a strong South African entry as the tournament is very much the brainchild of SA golf benefactor Johann Rupert.
