Branden
Grace

Biography

Branden, who turned pro in 2007, secured his European Tour card for a second time in 2012 by finishing in the top 10 at qualifying school.

Branden was awarded the Gary Player Trophy for being the player with the leading stroke average in a minimum of nine tournaments on the Sunshine Tour in 2011.

His average of 69.41 was achieved over a total of 26 rounds in seven tournaments, and it was bolstered by his performance in the Telkom PGA Championship, where he was shared third behind George Coetzee with a 72-hole total of 23 under par.

Branden won the Joburg Open at the beginning of 2012 and followed up immediately with a consecutive victory in the Volvo Golf Champions at Fancourt in South Africa which put him inside the top 100 of the world rankings, before making it three wins for the year at the Volvo China Open in April.

Branden's dream season continued when he won at Fancourt for the second time at the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final in late September. The following week, he fired a 12 under par 60 at Kingsbarn - a course record - en route to clinching his fourth European Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.