Saturday 22 July 2017 21:08, UK
Branden Grace put his name into the history books by becoming the first men's player to card a 62 in a major after a faultless third round at The 146th Open at Royal Birkdale.
Grace, ranked world No 35, has previously enjoyed four top-five finishes at majors, including a third-place spot at the PGA Championship in 2015 at Whistling Straits but is not a household name outside the golfing fraternity.
Prior to Grace's record-breaking round, a bogey-free eight-under 62, around the Southport links, there had been 29 players to shoot 63 including Henrik Stenson's memorable final-round performance at Royal Troon, last year, in securing his first major title.
So just who is Branden Grace? We take a look through the South African's journey to becoming a history maker…
Background
Grace, who was born in Pretoria in 1988, won the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship in 2006 before turning professional the following year.
The 29-year-old began his formative years in the professional ranks by playing on the Challenge Tour, Europe's secondary tour, and the Sunshine Tour in his native South Africa.
In his first year on the Challenge Tour in 2007, he notched up two top-10 finishes and bettered that the following year with three top-10 places.
Grace would eventually secure his place on the European Tour by gaining his card for the 2009 season through the Qualifying School.
Notable successes
Grace is by no means an unknown quantity having picked up his first PGA Tour title victory last year along with seven title wins on the European Tour, coupled with five victories on the Sunshine Tour.
His breakthrough came in 2012 when he became the first player to win his first four European Tour titles in the same year. Back-to-back victories at the Joburg Open and then the Volvo Golf Champions saw him become the first player since Fred Couples in 1995 to secure consecutive tournament victories.
By the time Grace was holding a share of the lead after the first three rounds of the 2015 US Open at Chambers Bay, the South African was already a six-time winner on the European Tour which included a victory at the Qatar Masters in January 2015.
The final round of the US Open saw him play with eventual winner Jordan Spieth and he showed composure to maintain a share of the lead at the 16th before a wild drive forced him to take two off the tee leading to a double bogey, which sent him tumbling and out of contention for the title.
Two months later and Grace was once again in contention at a major, this time at the PGA Championship, where he finished third and secured a top-five finish for the second time at a major championship.
In January 2016, Grace defended his Qatar Masters title courtesy of a final-round three-under 69 to secure his seventh title.
Despite all his success on the European Tour, Grace had to wait until last year to secure his first PGA Tour title at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head.
The round in focus
Grace made the cut mark by a mere one stroke at four-over par, but he took full advantage of the perfectly calm weather conditions after the miserable damp weather which tested the players' resolve in Friday's second round.
He made five birdies through his front nine, including two on the bounce to hit the inward nine holes in only 29 shots.
Despite not making a birdie at the par-five 15th, he would show his character to make consecutive birdies at the 16th and 17th before a par at the last secured his position in the record books.
At the conclusion of his third round, he had rocketed up the standings to move only two shots behind overnight leader Jordan Spieth who was six-under par after his opening two rounds.
Following in the footsteps
South Africa is a country steeped in golf history and specifically major winners. Gary Player, who was only the third golfer in history to win the career grand slam after Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen, won nine majors including three Claret Jugs.
Player's last Open victory, in 1974, came at Royal Birkdale's neighbouring Royal Lytham & St Annes and numerous other South African golfers have achieved their dream of winning a major championship.
Nick Price, Ernie Els, and Louis Oosthuizen have all won The Open while the likes of Retief Goosen, a two-time US Open champion, Trevor Immelman and Charl Schwartzel have all enjoyed the thrill of winning one of golf's four majors.
Grace leads a contingent of golfers from the country hoping to add his name to that illustrious company.
What's next?
Grace might have entered the record books with his 62 but he will have to reproduce further stellar golf in Sunday's final round to stand a chance of securing his first major victory.
Should he be unable to lift the Claret Jug then he will hope to take his good performance levels into the final major of the year at the PGA Championship next month, which is taking place at Quail Hollow.
Grace will also be a member of the International Team, once again, at this year's Presidents Cup, a match play-style event against the United States which resembles the Ryder Cup - taking place at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey this September.
Watch the final round of The 146th Open on Sunday live on Sky Sports - your home of The Open
