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THE 146TH OPENJuly 22, 2017Branden GraceSouthport, England MIKE WOODCOCK: We're delighted to welcome Branden Grace into the interview room. Congratulations. Fantastic round today. You've made Major Championship history with the first ever 62 in men's Major Championship history. Good day's work. BRANDEN GRACE: It was indeed. Let's get this out of the way: I didn't know what was going on on 18. I promise you. It was a special day. It was nice to obviously start the day off with a birdie on the first, made a nice putt. It always gives you some momentum and some confidence heading into the round. And then I just played flawless golf. I think I missed two fairways or two greens the whole day. The putter was hot. I missed a couple of shortish ones, but made a couple of bombs, which was nice. I was really concentrating getting myself back into this tournament, and giving myself a chance tomorrow. I feel I'm playing well. And I just want to get out there again tomorrow and try to do something similar, just play some good golf. And obviously it makes me feel a lot better after the score I shot today. Q. Sorry to bring this up, but how on earth did you not know? Because the rest of the world did. I find it hard to believe. BRANDEN GRACE: I honestly didn't. You know, I was just so in the zone of playing, hole after hole. I knew I was obviously playing really well, and making the turn in 5-under was pretty special. And I thought if I could make a couple more on the back nine, then it's going to be a great score. I had no idea that 62 was obviously the lowest ever. Obviously, now it makes it even more special than what it was. My whole thing on the 18th was trying just not to make bogey. I hit a great wedge in there, just caught a fly, a little bit of a jumper and made it tough for myself. But obviously I knocked in the two-footer or three-footer. And Zack (Rasego) came up and said, "You're in the history books." And I was like, "What are you talking about?" So obviously now it makes the day even sweeter. Q. Do you think make maybe now not knowing might've actually helped? And also you had a chance to think, 31 players in major history have had 63s, some incredible names, and you've now etched yourself beyond that, as well? BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, I think obviously now when I look back, like I said, I was so in the zone and so focused on what I was doing, and obviously there were some great birdie chances in the homeward stretch there. I was just concentrating on making good swing after good swing and making birdies. Like I said, whether you guys believe me or not, I honestly didn't know. But my main thing, like I said, was just trying not to bogey 18. I wanted to finish strong. It's always so bad, you feel so bad making bogey on the last hole, especially after a good day like that, and that for me was a big point in the right direction, finishing the way I did. Q. Did Zack know earlier than you did or did somebody come up and tell him? BRANDEN GRACE: I think he did. He never said anything, so good on him, I suppose (laughing). But after I made the putt, that was the first thing he told me. So obviously he must have known. And obviously what a special day. And to do it at a special place at one of the events that I actually like playing at The Open. I've not always finished great in them. But this is the one that I've always liked. So what a special place to get myself into the history books. Q. Your career has been in two parts: You had a great run, then a bit of lull when you parted company with Zack, and now another great run. Can you give us an insight into what Zack brings to the party, because you said you were in the zone but there seemed to be quite a bit of joshing and interaction going on between the two of you? BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, I think obviously when I started with Zack a lot of years ago, he had a lot of experience, a lot of knowledge of what's going on and how to play, what to do and what not to do. Louis won The Open with Zack. So it's not always just on the player. Zack would have played a big role in the win that they had at St. Andrews. And we played great. After that when we became familiar, we got off the block strong and played well. And I think anything in life maybe a lack of communication, a lack of trust, things like that. Those things go out the window and then you feel for change, especially golfers. We like to fiddle. We like change. Today we're playing well, some guy will maybe put a new putter in the bag for tomorrow. That's just what we are. We actually had a good chat last week at the Scottish, and I told him we need to start communicating again. I feel we're playing well, but it's just not happening. We had a good chat and it's been working ever since. Q. Is he one of the top few caddies in the world? BRANDEN GRACE: Definitely. He's an old man now (laughter). He knows a lot more than I do. But I would definitely put him up there. He's a great guy and he's a good friend. Q. After the weather yesterday, which was obviously very bad. You get up today, you get outside and you're thinking, oh, boy, I can score. You're not going to think about 62, but you could really get the round down when you got out there? BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, definitely. I would have thought I had the bad side of the draw coming in this morning. We obviously had -- we had strong winds there the first day, and then yesterday I know I didn't get a lot of rain, but we had five holes of proper rain out there. So it was tough. Yesterday wasn't going to be an easy day at all. And I think the scores shows it. Today was one of those days where we had the conditions, like you said. And just trying to shoot a number to try to get myself back in there, and have a decent finish for the week. Obviously now the mindset changed a bit. Obviously I don't know what the guys are going to do this afternoon, but there is a lot of birdies out there. It is still very gettable out there, with some of the pins the way the winds are blowing the greens are soft, and I'm sure the guys are going to shoot also some good scores this afternoon. But it's nice knowing that I had a good round. It's in me and just looking forward to tomorrow. Q. Congratulations. How would you describe your putting grip and what made you settle on it? BRANDEN GRACE: Well, you call it a claw grip or pencil grip, whatever it is, it works for me. I actually almost always saw myself as a streaky putter. I had a normal grip like anybody else. And one day -- I think it was in 2015, I just thought as being back at a junior, I tried it once and I never missed. And my cousin actually was caddying for me at that time, I told him, "I'm going to give it a go again." And it just felt comfy. Ever since I've done that I've putted well. Obviously you go in streaks where you don't putt good. But I felt since Wentworth I've fiddled a little bit. I haven't had the best of years. And I found something that's working and it's worked ever since. Q. If yesterday, just for the sake of argument was like par 73 or 4, what would par have been in that regard today? BRANDEN GRACE: You still have to do it out there. I kind of think it depends how you go on about your day. Obviously everybody is going to be a little bit more aggressive, but that's either going to work for you or it's either going to go against you. But with the conditions and things like that, I would definitely have said par would be around 3-under or something like that, which I think is doable out there. But like I said, there's a lot of spots you want to keep out of on this golf course. And I did it today. So just fortunate the way things finished. Q. There's been more than 442 majors, Branden, and over hundreds of thousands of rounds. Now that you do know what you've done, what does it mean to you? BRANDEN GRACE: It's special. It really is. Like I said, it's always nice shooting a low number, whether it's any day of the week, whether it's in a tournament or with friends. And then finishing the round and then finding out what you've done makes it even better, it really does. And to do it at the Open Championship is pretty special and also, yeah, with the golf it's awesome. It's something I really enjoyed and something I'll remember forever, definitely. Q. Why do you think there are so many good scores today? BRANDEN GRACE: Obviously -- I don't know if you've been outside, but the weather is a lot better than yesterday (laughter). But obviously yesterday was terrible. But today I think obviously The Open staff, they couldn't get the golf course very much as they wanted - firm, fast, running. It's in immaculate condition. It's the best that I've seen any links golf in, in all the time I've been pro, honestly. But you know what it is, the greens are softer, still gettable. They've done a couple of things today that I've not actually seen at the Opens. Moving the tee up I think 30 yards on the 5th. Trying to give the guys a chance to go for it. Things on the 7th, they've moved the tee up 30 yards. So it's giving guys an opportunity to be aggressive. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but I think that's why there are low scores out there today. Q. Obviously we saw the terrible news about the fires last month and the lovely gesture you made of the donation of the money. For all that, the accolades and pats on the back and congratulations today, does the thought of just making even one or two people back there smile mean more than anything? BRANDEN GRACE: Oh, yeah, a hundred percent. There was actually a spectator out there that said, "Do it for Knysna." That was great. Then you start thinking about things again. It is really tragic what happened back there. But knowing that I was in the position to help, that's the right thing to do. So you don't even think twice about it. Hopefully a lot of lives can be changed and can be kind of restored, if I can put it that way. And like I said, if it puts a smile on those people's faces, and maybe there's a light tomorrow for them. Q. Given the conditions, would it surprise you if someone else today takes a run at your record? BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, well, I see Dustin was going. Obviously with him playing as well as he is, the last time I saw he was 5-under. And then obviously you've got -- you have four or five birdie chances coming in, on those last five holes. And the distance that he hits the golf ball, those par 5s are turning into maybe a good par 4 to him. So I'm sure that he's probably thinking of making eagles coming in or something like that. But I'm going to enjoy it for now while it lasts. Q. A quick follow, what is the greatest, biggest challenge in coming back and putting together another low round after a day like this? BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, I think it helps. Obviously I'm not going to be -- I'm going to be there tomorrow, but I'm not going to be in the lead. Well, I wouldn't think so. So I think it would help knowing that I'm still going to be in the same position that I have to chase out there tomorrow. And that's either going to work or not going to work. So I just have to feel that I can get out there tomorrow, putt something similar, and hit the ball the same as I did today. I was superb from tee to green. I didn't always hit it the closest, but I gave myself the chances and that's all you need to do on a golf course like this. If I can do the same tomorrow, I should be in there with a chance. Q. To follow up on Karen's question, in your history, how hard has it been to follow up another round? And then secondly, a low round like this, and then secondly, what did you leave out there that might have been a 61 or a 60, what was it? BRANDEN GRACE: Firstly, I can't remember when last I did shoot a number like this, to be quite honest. I've had in this year, a couple of 5-under, but I haven't had a number like this. It is always hard to follow a good round, because you go out with the same expectations that you are playing well. You should do something similar, and it doesn't always work that way. Tomorrow I have to stick to the same routines. I try to do things a little differently today that I'm going to try to do tomorrow. And just going to keep it simple. That's it. Give yourself the chances. Like I said, I am putting well, I'm feeling good about the putting. If I can do that tomorrow, then I should be able to give myself a chance at it. And then I definitely felt I did leave a couple out there. But, you know, those long bombs that I made, I think I mate four of them or three of them makes up for those things. I think I missed about an eight-footer for birdie on the third hole. Sorry, I'm not ignoring you, I'm just looking on the sheet. On the 8th -- it wasn't the 8th, sorry, the 14th hole -- the 13th hole, the par 4, I must have missed maybe another 10-footer. So there was a couple of inside ten, and just maybe outside ten feet that I did miss, but like I said, if you have those long ones, you forget about the short ones. Q. I think you probably have to go back to around 1980 when Nicklaus had his first crack at a 62. We've heard about 60 chances at it over the years, why do you think it's taken this long? And secondly, will Louis still hold his 57 over this? BRANDEN GRACE: (Laughing) I'm sure he's going to remind me of the 57. I don't know to be quite honest. Obviously it's just on a day like today where things have kind of turned out where -- actually when I got to the golf course I went on Twitter this morning and a fellow pro, Charlie Ford, that plays on the Challenge Tour and European Tour had a thing saying, he sent a Tweet out saying that he won't be surprised if he sees the course record being broken today. I didn't quite honestly think about it or went into it too much, but it happens. And like I said, on things like today where the last two days have been a little bit rainy or the course is getting softer, it's -- for me, I won't say it's the longest golf course today the way it played. It can play fairly long with the wind, but with the conditions we've had it was definitely out there. And every major is different. Augusta is a beast on its own because of the wind, because of the greens. And then you look at like the PGA's and the U.S. Opens, it's brutal. It's just such a tough test, where if you miss the fairways and greens you're going to struggle. So it's hard to answer the question, but I think sooner or later somebody is going to break 62. But hopefully it takes a while. Q. Maybe today? BRANDEN GRACE: Like I said, Dustin has got a chance, but if it happens, then great on him. Then he's played a superb round of golf. If not, I'm going to enjoy what happened today. Q. Obviously it's still very fresh, any thoughts on where a 62 on a par-70 stacks up against a 63 and par-72? BRANDEN GRACE: Talking about this can go on forever. It's like when somebody plays on a 70 and you shoot a 59.I've shot 12-under on a links golf course and I've shot 60. I've actually bettered that score that person has done. I'm just happy with, like I say, with shooting a good round at a special tournament. And on a great day. But, you know, whether you shoot 63, 62 or 60, you have to do something right and things have to go your way to be able to do that. I'm not going to take anything away from a guy shooting 63 on a 72 or anything of what I did today. All in all some great golf. MIKE WOODCOCK: Branden, you made some history today. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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