He was T2 in 2022 and T9 in 2023. But come 2024… It’s a different picture altogether. Nine events into the season and Branden Grace currently sits at the 52nd spot on the season-long leaderboards. Is there any particular reason for the dismal scores that the LIV Golf Pro dished out this year? Ask him that and his reply would be a somber “Yes,” all the while alluding to his wrist injury.

The athlete has been battling with health issues for a while now, as per LIV Golf. Grace has been suffering from ganglion cysts in his wrist for several years. They are lumps that usually grow along the tendons or joints of wrists or hands. His situation, as a result, hasn’t been too good, with the issues flaring up every once in a while.

The health of his wrists hit a low point during the off-season after the 2023 season. Before that, the golfer had been draining the cyst using a syringe instead of opting for an operation. But after his hands became too sore to bear, Grace turned to a specialist back in his country. The South African athlete, after consultation, decided to receive cortisone injections and other medications owing to the issues with two of his ligaments in his wrist.

If someone were to ask the 36-year-old about his hands now, he would confess his hands being pain-free but not 100% golf-ready. “With cortisone, you never really know because you can’t feel anything,” admitted the LIV Golf Pro before adding how the medications might have alleviated his pain. However, he would admit his poor health affecting his gameplay, causing him to go low in the rankings; “But from what the scores in the golf has been, I would think yes.”

Grace currently has no top-10 placements, let alone any podium finishes. His best this year came from the LIV Golf event in Jeddah, where the golfer placed himself at T15. The professional tied himself with six other golfers, including the likes of Sergio Garcia and Tyrrell Hatton, among others. The year’s figures sure stand in stark contrast to his previous season’s performances!

Branden Grace’s fall from LIV Golf glory

The Stingers GC athlete, back in 2022, had finished at the second spot just below the then-season-long champion Dustin Johnson with a total of 79 points. He had finished third at the inaugural event in London while clinching victory at LIV Golf’s second tournament in Portland. In the following tournaments, he placed himself at T13, T12, T18, and T28 at Bedminster, Boston, Chicago, and Jeddah, respectively.

Fast forward to 2023. Even though the athlete couldn’t dish out any wins, he clinched five top-10 placements, including three podium finishes, all T3, at Mayakoba, Tulsa, and Washington, DC. This helped him finish the season-long leaderboard at the 9th spot with a total of 112 points. Now comes 2024, and Branden Grace himself accepts how hard it has been for him due to his injury. Regardless, one can’t help but respect the South African, especially after hearing his words, “But I’m still out here, still playing, still practicing. Still out here giving my all!”