Branden Grace wins Volvo China Open

South Africa's Branden Grace picked up his third European Tour victory of this season as he finished three clear of Nicolas Colsaerts in the Volvo China Open at Binhai Lake Golf Club.

Branden Grace wins Volvo China Open (Getty Images)
Fergus Bisset
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South Africa's Branden Grace picked up his third European Tour victory of this season as he finished three clear of Nicolas Colsaerts in the Volvo China Open at Binhai Lake Golf Club.

With the win Grace has become only the second man in European Tour history, the first being Johan Edfors, to win three times in the season following graduation from Qualifying School.

"I thought my first win was around the corner this season," he said. "To have three before May is literally unbelievable, but I've been playing well so I've been feeling like I can win and I've been giving myself opportunities."

Grace began the final round three clear of defending champion Nicolas Colsaerts from Belgium. The gap was reduced to two when the South African bogeyed the 4th hole. But he hit straight back with birdies at the 6th and 7th.

Another birdie for Grace at the 12th saw the lead extended to four and from there he was able to cruise home to victory with six straight pars.

Colsaerts couldn't make up any ground until the 18th where he made a crucial birdie. It lifted him into solo second place with Richard Finch alone in third.

Grace's victory has pushed him to fourth in the Race To Dubai and he'll climb into the 60s on the Official World Golf Ranking. That's pretty impressive when you consider he began the year outside the top 250.

Volvo China Open Binhai Lake Golf Club, Tianjin, China 19-22 Apr, purse €2,300,000, par 72

1   Branden Grace (RSA)   67   67   64   69   267   €398,595 2   Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel)   68   67   66   69   270   €265,730 3   Richard Finch (Eng)   67   73   65   66   271   €149,712 T4   George Coetzee (RSA)   72   67   64   69   272   €110,491 T4   Victor Dubuisson (Fra)   69   68   68   67   272   €110,491 T6   Marcus Fraser (Aus)   67   69   67   70   273   €63,329 T6   Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg)   68   73   65   67   273   €63,329 T6   Francesco Molinari (Ita)   72   65   67   69   273   €63,329 T6   Alexander Noren (Swe)   68   72   63   70   273   €63,329 T6   Fabrizio Zanotti (Par)   70   68   64   71   273   €63,329

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

Where next? PGA Tour - Ben Curtis wins Valero Texas Open

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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