LIV Golf in advanced talks over new event

LIV Golf officials have held advanced talks over the possibility of creating a new event.

Gayton McKenzie, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture in the Republic of South Africa, shared the update on social media, as he met with LIV CEO Scott O’Neil.

The idea has been floated previously, given the Saudi-backed league’s links to the country. It currently boasts an all-South African team: Stingers GC.

“I met with the brilliant CEO, Scott O’Neil, and the rest of his bright executive team at golf’s freshest new globe-spanning tournament, LIV Golf, which has an all-South African team, Stingers GC,” McKenzie wrote on X.

“We are full of hope about bringing this festival of sport and culture to SA soon.”

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Open champion Louis Oosthuizen captains the Stingers GC side, which is made up by Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel, and Dean Burmester.

Oosthuizen has spoken of his desire to bring the startup to his home country, particularly as new venues like Korea and Mexico City appeared on the 2025 schedule.

“It’s a lot of things that need to happen before we can have a tournament, but it is one of our big goals to get everything there,” he told Golf Monthly.

“Everyone knows the South African public want a LIV tournament and to bring this type of field to South Africa would be an unbelievable thing.

“The Sunshine Tour gets that and it’s a matter of coming together and getting a sponsor and getting everyone together to get it.

“In an ideal world it will happen in 2026 but, if it doesn’t happen in 2026, we’ll work hard to get it in 2027. It’s something we’ve been working hard on since March 2024.”

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Meanwhile, last week’s winner in Korea, Bryson DeChambeau, also met with McKenzie and explained the move will ‘hopefully’ happen next year.

“For us to go to Korea, Mexico last week, and then hopefully and ultimately South Africa next year would be an amazing thing for the game of golf down there in Cape Town and South Africa,” he said.

“I’ve personally always wanted to go. I’ve always heard great stuff from Louis, Charl, and numerous others.

“Going down to the continent of Africa, and South Africa especially, is going to be a treat and an honour, and we can’t wait to go there if we can get it done.”

bunkered has contacted LIV Golf for comment.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.