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DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIPNovember 21, 2012Branden GraceDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES MICHAEL GIBBONS: Branden, thanks for joining us here at the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai. Nice to welcome our most prolific champion of 2012. I think we should cast things back to your year. What were you doing at this time last year? BRANDEN GRACE: This time last year, heading to Tour School. Seems so far away now but obviously it's just something that's just a year ago. Yeah, just trying to get back to where I thought I belong and grinding it out and things like that, and it's a year later and look at what's happened so far. MICHAEL GIBBONS: It's been unbelievable, hasn't it. BRANDEN GRACE: It has been. It's been a great year. If I put it in words, it's just like a dream come true to be honest. One thing led to another, and I think after I got the confidence and the things and all the experience from the first win, everything else just jumped into place and everything just happened. So it's just really been a dream. MICHAEL GIBBONS: And obviously you look to do the same next year. BRANDEN GRACE: I would hope so. But it's not over yet. There's still this week. It's my first time down here. The course is in great shape and things like that, and I think it is a long hitter's golf course. So if you can get it out there quite a long way and give yourself the opportunities then you should be able to score around this place. So I think definitely the guys definitely are going to be at the top of the week is the guy that hits it a long way and can hit the fairways and make the odd putt. Q. Congratulations on the year. Assuming you've got some pretty strong self‑belief, was there a particular point in time when you decided or came to the realisation that you can really mix it with the big boys? BRANDEN GRACE: I think after the second win. I thought the first one was pretty special because it was the first one obviously. And then after I beat Ernie and Retief in a playoff, I thought maybe this is where I need to play. And then it just jumped to bigger and better things. You know, the one in China, Paul Casey was there and Poulter and a couple of those guys, so just kept getting better and better. Obviously at the Dunhill, you can't ask for a better field than that. I know a couple of the guys from The Ryder Cup wasn't there which was a pity, but still the history around the event and the things like the event is spectacular. I think now, this is where I belong and this is where I can see myself playing and maybe more on a regular basis playing in events where the Top‑50 in the world is at. Q. I believe that you are moving to Dubai and taking up residence‑ship over here. Can you tell us about that and how important will this week be going forward towards your residence‑ship over here? BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, I've actually done it already, so I am a resident here now. It's been great. I must say I've always liked coming to Dubai and play here. I've been here the last couple of years, but my first real trip was the beginning of the season when we came for the first three in the Middle East, and it's been great. I think this is a place where I want to establish myself and if I have a week off, come back here and just enjoy it here. There's so much to do and the people are friendly, and it's just one hell of a place, if I can say it like that. It's been great, and just to come back here for events like this is very special, so yeah. Q. After Mission Hills, there was a lot of suggestion about the guys closest to Rory in The Race to Dubai, including yourself, didn't play Singapore and Hong Kong; was there part of you that thought perhaps you should go to Singapore and make it harder for Rory, or not? BRANDEN GRACE: No. I thought after Rory played well in the BMW, I thought pretty that's I much it. You'd really have to do something special to maybe get close to the top. He's the type of player that when he's in the field now, it's pretty much the same feeling that the guys had when Tiger played to his peak; when he's in the field you think he's going to win or finish Top‑5. It's one of those things. But no, I think the reason why I went home, I just felt I'm really knackered and things. It's been a long year. I think the title and things caught up to me and things like that. The fire and things are still there. It's just when you fall a little bit behind, it's very hard to just keep fighting. So I thought it was a big need for me to head home. And obviously last week didn't go my way on the weekend, but it's something that you have to look past and things like that. And it shows that anybody can have a bad couple of days or a bad week, and you just have to grind it out and see what you can do the next week. This is a great week to do that, and I think this golf course, you're going to have to grind it out. So you know, if you can just keep your form and your level, your energy levels in the right position and the positive vibes up there, you never know, at the end of the week you might be on top. Q. Is there something that's surprised you about your game and yourself this season, how you've dealt with your continued success? BRANDEN GRACE: I think which I've done really well this year, is everything has happened pretty much in a step‑by‑step order, if I can put it that way. Just getting my card was the first step; that's the first thing I wanted to do. And the first win got there. And then obviously I didn't have a lot of time and things happened quickly, qualified for the next event, and I really wanted to play well and crossed over to another step there. Then I had a sit‑down. Obviously I didn't really sit down to think of what I have achieved, but more to think of what I've wanted to do next, and the main goal after was to win on the international circuit. I really wanted to win outside of South Africa, because there was a lot of stuff written and things, might just be a South African player, might just win on the home turf or anywhere else, and I think that was a big step. When I got that win at Volvo that was really the turning point for me. So now I believe that I can play and that I can win here, and so it's nice to get the four wins now, first win is going, and I'm really looking forward to what's to come. Q. What's been the reaction at home over the four wins you've had this season and what sort of reaction do you have from your fellow South African players, perhaps everybody any or Louis or Charl? BRANDEN GRACE: Everything has been great to be honest. I had a pretty warm welcome last week at the SA Open which was nice. Obviously I'm not from that area, but it was nice to see the people look at you in the same eyes as they look at Ernie and Charl and Louis. It was nice to get that applause. It was nice just to know that they see it out of the same eyes as they see those guys. All the of the golfers have been great. Back home on the Sunshine Tour, we don't get to see them quite often, but I think I've been a great inspiration to most of them this year; just showing that you never know what's around the corner, and one week can change your life out here. I like to use that quote, because it does change your life as much as you think it does. Charl and Louis and them, everybody's been great. I haven't seen‑‑ obviously Retief is injured, so I haven't seen him for a while but. I get the odd message from Ernie and those guys saying well done and things. And we all know the comment he made at the Dunhill, which is nice to get comments like that from a world‑class player like him. The support has been great so far. Q. There's still competitors but your fellow compatriots, has anyone in particular played a mentoring role, or have you sought counsel from Ernie or about what to expect in the years to come given your rise to success this year? BRANDEN GRACE: I would say Louis. He's been a big inspiration for me so far. And I think this year has shown, as well, that every time Louis won, I pretty much won the following event, which is nice. We always have a laugh together and things like that. And after his first win at the Africa Open, you said, listen, you're falling behind and you have to catch up now. And then I won the second one, and obviously it was a little bit bigger than the first. And then I said, now you're falling behind, and it pretty much just carried on from there. I know after the Masters he was ‑‑ you know he's going to be down. It's just one of those things, losing in a playoff. But he stepped up the next week that showed a lot of encouragement and like winning will, winning power, if you can put it that way, and it just motivates me. I'm a very close mate with him and good friends with his family and things like that. He's definitely been showing me the ropes and things like that and giving me advice that might help me in the future. It was a big help to him, as well the reason why I won at Dunhill. I practised with him and he gave me some ins and outs from when he played well at the British. And obviously helped having Zach on the bag, but Louis has been great, too, so it's a big thanks to him for sure. Q. Your caddie, Zach, won the Caddie of the Year this year. How important has been his role in this one year with you? BRANDEN GRACE: He's been great. You know, we started working together at Tour School, that was our first week. The rest is history, you can say. Ever since he's gone on the bag, things have gone my way and we still get on well and enjoy working with each other. I get a little bit of goosebumps whenever we are playing well, the way he handles himself out there. If you have the winning putt or things, he always jumps to get off the flag, little things like that, little stupid things like that that shows you that this guy is really keen on what he's doing. So that's been great. I think he was a bit disappointed not getting the Caddie of the Year award when he won the British Open with Louis. But it's been great that I was given a chance to make sure that he can get that this year. So it's been great. Q. Of all the South African greats that you grew up seeing, who was your role model? Who was your idol? BRANDEN GRACE: Well, obviously you look up to some of your own compatriots. Ernie has always been a great mentor for South African golf, and even Gary Player. When I grew up, it was Tiger. Tiger was always the guy I wanted to meet, always the guy I wanted to play with and always the guy that that's how I wanted to handle myself on the golf course. I've studied his swing over and over and watched all of his DVDs and things like that and he's just one of those guys where you want to be Tiger. So he's definitely been my role model. Q. You actually played with Tiger this year? BRANDEN GRACE: I did. Q. What was that like? BRANDEN GRACE: It was awesome. I had an opportunity at the Bridgestone, the first three rounds I got paired with him which was nice. Obviously a bit nerve‑wracking the first couple holes every day, but you know, the type of guy he is, he just made it fun out there. I've heard a lot of guys say‑‑ Westy, Ernie and Louis say, he's probably going to be one of the nicest guys you'll ever play with, and that was a fact. He was, he still is, and I look forward to getting out there with him again in the future. Q. Of course Louis has taken up membership now on the PGA TOUR; is that something you see down the road for yourself? BRANDEN GRACE: I might do. At the moment I just want to focus on Europe. I think I've literally just found my feet here now and I don't want to just jump to new things now and then you have to start all over again. I think this is the place where I want to play golf in the next couple years, and then you never know what happens. If you can establish yourself in the Top‑50 on a regular basis and even moving up to the Top‑20 in the world, then you never know. I think if you're in the Top‑50 you get to play a lot in the States anyway, so all the majors and WGCs and things like that. So as soon as I can get all that experience under the belt, then I might do in the future. Q. Given what's happened this year and looking forward to next year, how difficult is it to temper expectations, and are you conscious of having to not want too much, too soon? BRANDEN GRACE: No, I've actually been very hungry. After my first season on Tour fell away, I had to go back, do a couple of years on The Challenge Tour and you work hard to get where I am now. I just want to keep going forward. It's pretty tough now. I'm looking forward to a good break after‑‑ I've got two more events in South Africa, and then looking forward to having a month off after that and recharge the batteries and really being able to sit down and say, what is the goal for next year; start over, but still going forward. I think a year like this, you can't forget. It's literally been a dream year, and I think there's a lot of events now that you can look forward to playing and forward to winning. So now instead of just winning The European Tour, now you can put your mind to winning certain ones. I think this year, my goal for next year would be maybe winning more on links courses. I think that's where I've played some of my best golf this year, so I'm looking forward to those challenges. Q. South Africa is obviously a very proud and successful sporting nation. Just curious to know whether you have a relationship with anyone outside of golf, be it from the Proteas or the Springboks, or Jacques Kallis, Morné Steyn or someone you've looked up to or sought some counsel from? BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, it's been great. You know, I think which is nice, when you achieve something in sport, they see it out of the same eye, which has been great. Sports‑wise I've met a couple of the football players in England, Johnny Evans and John O'Shea I play golf with on a regular basis when I'm there, and that's pretty cool. And just South African‑wise, I'm very good mates with Victor Matfield and Fourie du Preez and a couple of those guys. So it's nice to be able to go back to them and then they are asking you, how does it feel doing that, and you pretty much say, why are you asking me that stuff; how did it feel winning the World Cup, things like that. It's nice to compare stories like that and then give your different views on sport and things. As I say it's been great to have people like that involved in my sport and following. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Thank you very much for joining us. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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