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Cape Town - South Africa's Branden Grace insists that he's not feeling the pressure as he headlines the SA contingent at the 81st Masters this week.
READ: 5 players will fly the SA flag at Augusta
Grace, 28, had a top year in 2016, as he finished seventh in the Race to Dubai standings with one European Tour victory at the Qatar Masters.
In addition to his European success, he secured his maiden PGA Tour title at the RBC Heritage.
His form at major events hasn't gone unnoticed with a top five finish at the US Open and tied-fourth spot at the PGA Championship.
Those results saw Grace become the country's top-ranked golfer and reach his career-best ranking of 10th in July.
However, a few missed cuts in late 2016 have seen the South African head into the Augusta National ranked 20th in the world.
Despite the drop in rankings, Grace is still tipped by many as the next South African to secure a major title for the country.
While Grace admits he's probably the next in line to claim that elusive title, he doesn't feel any added pressure heading into the first major of the year.
"No (pressure), not really," Grace told Sport24.
"A lot of people would think of me as the next South African expected to win a major and they are probably right.
"Going forward I just want to keep giving myself chances, I've come close in the past and hope to compete strongly again in 2017.
"I really want to become a major winner so that's something I have on my own back and on my own head, it's great that that is something other people want as well for me, but at the moment I don't feel any extra pressure beyond what I put on myself."
The 2017 Masters opening round tees off on Thursday, April 6 (14:30 SA time).
Augusta bound....thanks @WheelsUp for the lift ?? #Masters #soexcited pic.twitter.com/qcXf6aJTYw
— Branden Grace (@BrandenGrace) April 2, 2017
