10 Things You Didn't Know About Branden Grace

Get to know the South African better with these 10 facts.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Get to know the South African better with these 10 facts.

10 Things You Didn't Know About Branden Grace

A multiple-time winner on the European Tour, and a record holder for the lowest score in a Major Championship, Grace has been consistently competing in the professional world for a number of years now.

Here are 10 things you may not already know about him.

10 Things You Didn't Know About Branden Grace

1. Grace was born in Pretoria, South Africa on the 20th of May, 1988.

2. Played rugby, cricket and field hockey growing up, but decided to focus on golf when he turned 15. We are unsure exactly when he first started playing the game but Grace has said in the past that it was his father who got him into the game after buying him his first set of clubs.

3. Grace was a graduate of the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation, which recognises and helps nurture the careers of young golfers. From there he went on to win the 2006 South African Amateur Stroke Play, turning professional the following year.

4. Grace is still attached to Fancourt Golf & Country Club in South Africa.

5. On 22 July 2017, he became the first man to record a sub-63 score in a major when he shot a 62 (8-under-par) in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

Related: Branden Grace What's In The Bag?

6. Grace is married to Nieke Coetzee and they have one son together called Roger.

7. Grace is a patron of the South African Disabled Golf Association.

An emotional win in Puerto Rico in 2021 (Getty Images)

8. As far as professional victories go, Grace has had nine on the European Tour, four of which came back in 2012, and two came in back-to-back weeks in January of that year. He has also had two PGA Tour victories, the first came in 2016 at the RBC Heritage, and in 2021 at the Puerto Rico Open. This 2021 victory came just after his father passed away from the coronavirus.

“This morning I had a tear in the car when I was talking to my wife,” Grace said about father Peter. “It was an emotional day. I thought about him a hell of a lot out there, especially the last tee shot. I was really struggling the last hole, because I knew he was watching over me. I knew he was guiding me."

9. Grace cites his interests as movies, hunting and reading.

10. He has made over $10 million in PGA Tour career earnings.

Sam Tremlett
E-commerce Editor

A golfer for most of his life, Sam is a Senior Staff Writer for Golf Monthly. 

Working with golf gear and equipment over the last six years, Sam has quickly built outstanding knowledge and expertise on golf products ranging from drivers, to balls, to shoes. 

He combines this knowledge with a passion for helping golfers get the best gear for them, and as such Sam manages a team of writers that look to deliver the most accurate and informative reviews and buying advice. This is so the reader can find exactly what they are looking for.


Sam now spends most of his time testing and looking after golf gear content for the website, whilst he is also responsible for all content related to golf apparel. 

He also oversees all Tour player content as well so if you need to know what clubs Tiger or Rory has in play, Sam is the person to ask. 

Unfortunately, Sam is not a member of any club at the moment but regularly gets out on the golf course to keep up the facade of having a handicap of five. 


Sam's What's In The Bag: 

Driver: Titleist TS3 (9 degrees) 

Fairway Wood: Callaway Paradym (15 degrees), Nike Covert Tour 2.0 (19 degrees) 

Irons (4-PW): Titleist AP2 

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 54˚, 58˚ 

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 

Ball: Srixon Z-Star Diamond

Shoes: G/FORE Gallivanter/Nike Air Zoom Infinity NEXT%/Cuater The Ringer