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Cape Town - South Africa's Branden Grace is still looking for his first Major title, and he has another opportunity to challenge for one at this week's US Open at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.
Now 29, Grace has flirted with Major success over the past couple of years.
At the 2015 edition of the US Open, he came agonisingly close and was in the final pairing on Sunday with eventual champion Jordan Spieth.
As Grace stepped up to the tee box at the par-4 16th, he was joint-leader with Spieth.
But his drive landed out of bounds and, with the ball laying on a train track, his challenge came to an abrupt end.
He ended up tied for fourth, and at last year's US Open in Oakmont he followed that up with another solid display to finish fifth.
Grace also finished third in the 2015 PGA Championship and then tied for fourth in 2016, giving him a sustained period of Major form heading into this week.
South African legend Gary Player has tipped the Pretoria-born Grace to lift a major some day, but it is Charl Schwartzel who enters this week as the highest ranked South African in the field.
Schwartzel is ranked 16th in the world, Louis Oosthuizen 21st and Grace 29th.
Still, Grace appears to be in high spirits heading into Erin Hills.
He took to Twitter to express his excitement at playing and also to applaud the controversial decision to cut away at some of the heavy rough on the course.
Grace will tee off alongside Kevin Kisner and Billy Horschel on Thursday at 16:25 (SA time).
All prep done and looking forward to the challenge! Course is fair and in awesome shape,let the grind begin! #favouritemajor #USOpen pic.twitter.com/Rc5AXg7sXH
— Branden Grace (@BrandenGrace) June 14, 2017
