This is the true Watershed moment for LIV Golf, out of Africa

Bryson DeChambeau claimed a dramatic, exciting victory in the LIV Golf League on Sunday, defeating league leader Jon Rahm in a playoff to lift a second successive title following another playoff triumph in Singapore. But there can be no doubt, above the titanic battle for individual glory, the main takeaway from LIV Golf South Africa was the unprecedented crowd engagement, and historic attendance of a golf tournament on the African continent.

Branden Grace of Southern Guards GC hits his shot on the 18th hole during the final round of LIV Golf South Africa at The Club at Steyn City on Sunday, March 22, 2026 in Midrand, South Africa. (Photo by SS/LIV Golf)

So far there is little doubt that the flagship event of LIV Golf has been Adelaide, with incredible crowd support from across Australia at The Grange Golf Club, and the remarkable scenes of Anthony Kim winning earlier this season will likely remain the individual highlight of what is turning into the greatest LIV Golf season ever. However, Adelaide now has a serious rival for that title after more than 100,000 tickets were sold for LIV Golf South Africa, played at the Club at Steyn City, near Johannesburg.

The first tee resembled that of a Ryder Cup, and the crowds lined the fairways throughout the course and throughout the duration of the week, despite some challenging weather at times. My initial reaction to LIV Golf South Africa was that it was "One of the most profoundly important tournaments ever staged."

I believe that in the years to come we will look back at this week as truly the watershed moment for LIV Golf.

David Puig of Fireballs GC hits his shot from the first tee during the final round of LIV Golf South Africa at The Club at Steyn City on Sunday, March 22, 2026 in Midrand, South Africa. (Photo by Charles Laberge/LIV Golf)

The spectators who attended Adelaide, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa did so in large numbers and demonstrated passionate support for golf, teams, individual golfers and LIV Golf. Last season the events in Indianapolis, Michigan, Mexico City, Valderrama and JCB Country Club also attracted large, passionate crowds, comparable with most events around the world. Of course, very few people attended the Riyadh event, but as much as the establishment media want to ignore it, the fact is that golf is still a very young sport in Saudi Arabia, and it will take many years, if not decades to develop the interest in the sport there.

Fried Egg Golf's Shotgun Start podcast proclaimed "One great event in South Africa does not a league make."

Well it isn't one event. Absolutely nobody ever discusses the poorly attended events the DP World Tour stages all over the world, and if we are being honest and fair, our own home event in St Andrews, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, hardly attracts anyone over the first two days of the championship.

Goldfish performs following the final round of LIV Golf South Africa at The Club at Steyn City on Sunday, March 22, 2026 in Midrand, South Africa. (Photo by SS/LIV Golf)

LIV Golf is coming up for four years old, and has had the most hostile media environment of any new sports entity in the history of the world, and it has not only survived that, it has begun to thrive. People are beginning to see, in large numbers, that if you actually spend time consuming the content through TV or streaming, and if you actually attend an event that LIV Golf is exciting, fresh and modern.

The DP World Tour has co-sanctioned events with the Sunshine Tour since 1995, and it has never, ever managed to attract crowds on this scale for any of the events staged over the last 31 years.

First place individual champion, Captain Bryson DeChambeau of Crushers GC celebrates during the trophy ceremony after the final round of LIV Golf South Africa at The Club at Steyn City on Sunday, March 22, 2026 in Midrand, South Africa. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/LIV Golf)

The fan attendance and unprecedented engagement at Steyn City was remarkable, never more so than when they serenaded Branden Grace on the 18th green on Sunday with a rendition of the South African national anthem. I have watched and played this sport for 31 years, and never have I seen or heard fans singing the national anthem at an event outside the Ryder Cup.

These incredible scenes are what the PGA TOUR and their establishment partners at the Sunshine Tour and Golf RSA feared, and that is why they attempted to block LIV Golf from being played in South Africa. They knew that the country was crying out for this event, and after four magnificent days at Steyn City there can be no doubt about that. More than 100,000 tickets sold, youngsters belting out the national anthem and cheering shots from some of the greatest golfers on the planet, and the team concept being fully embraced.

The crowd was diverse and young, and that will undoubtedly worry the establishment, because LIV Golf is reaching their target market, and it is doing so all over the world.

LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neill outlined what LIV Golf offers the local federations when they play in a particular market, and this was on offer to the Sunshine Tour and GOLF RSA to partner with LIV Golf on LIV Golf South Africa:

• A reserve playing spot to a player from the local tour - the Sunshine Tour in this case

• Offer the PGA Professionals from across the country, and their families to come as a guest to a LIV Golf event

• The caddies and their families from across the country to come as a guest to a LIV Golf event

• Offer to showcase their tour (Sunshine Tour) to over 1 billion homes in 200 countries around the world

• Offer to promote their (Sunshine Tour) upcoming tournaments to LIV Golf fans

• Offer to make introductions to LIV Golf's global partners who they (Sunshine Tour) may not have access to

• Offer a contribution to the local junior golf programme, which in this case would be managed by GOLF RSA

These enticements and benefits on offer are more than an outstanding contribution to the host market of a LIV Golf event, and for the Sunshine Tour and GOLF RSA to not accept that because of their professed relationship with the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR is utterly ridiculous. It is doing a disservice to the game they say they care about, and I would question what the Sunshine Tour is achieving through its current 'relationship' with the PGA TOUR.

14 years ago the PGA TOUR announced they would stage the World Golf Championships - Tournament of Hope in South Africa from 2013. They failed to secure sponsorship and the event never came to be, and there hasn't even been speculation that they would try to come back. They could have tri-sanctioned the Nedbank Golf Challenge with the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour, but no, it hasn't happened. The players of the PGA TOUR and its leadership would much rather every South African consumed golf through their televisions late at night whilst the best golfers in the world play in the United States of America, week-in-week-out.

Make no mistake, other countries around the world will have seen the scenes in Adelaide, Australia, and Johannesburg, South Africa, and they will be wanting their own LIV Golf event now. India, China, Japan, Brazil, Canada, and dare I say, Scotland.

LIV Golf announced, through its International Series on the Asian Tour, a strategic partnership with the Indian Premier Golf League, a franchise-based league in India which has attracted some familiar names who have played on the major tours of the world. This can act as a pathway towards an Indian franchise on LIV Golf, which I have no doubt will happen in the future, and that would surely be the first franchise owned and operated by an outside entity. Owners of Indian Premier League teams are likely to be interested in owning a LIV Golf team representing India on the world stage, and hosting an event, perhaps at DLF Country Club, the host of this week's Hero Indian Open.

The Sunshine Tour should follow the lead of the PGA Tour of Australasia and Golf Australia, who, after initial hesitance have embraced LIV Golf, and partnered with Ripper GC on the delivery of the My Golf programme across Australia.

Whether the South African establishment embraces or not, they cannot avoid the fact that their LIV Golf team have been an integral part of the history of LIV Golf. Southern Guards won the very first event in June 2022, and Charl Schwartzel won the first individual title at the Centurion Club. Branden Grace won the second event of that inaugural season, at Pumpkin Ridge, and Dean Burmester has won events in Miami and Chicago in each of the last two seasons. Overall Southern Guards have won three team titles and four individual titles since the launch of LIV Golf.

At the end of the day it will be the fans and the ordinary golfers of South Africa which determine the future success of LIV Golf in the country, not the establishment looking to protect and enhance self-interest, not the best interests of the sport they profess to love.

And perhaps that is crystalised by the reaction of South Africa's Greatest Ever Golfer, maybe its Greatest Ever Athlete, Gary Player. The 9-time Major Champion, one of the Big Three, has been a long-time critic of LIV Golf, but on the day after LIV Golf South Africa he posted the following statement on X:

"Many congratulations to Bryson DeChambeau on a magnificent and thrilling victory here in South Africa! What a spectacle for the game of golf. To watch two of the world’s finest competitors going head-to-head in a playoff is exactly the kind of drama that lifts our sport and captivates fans at the course and around the globe.

But I must say, it fills my heart with tremendous pride to see South Africa hosting such a world-class event. This is a nation with a deep love for the game, a country that has produced champions, and a place where the spirit of golf runs strong. To showcase our beautiful land, our passionate supporters, and our rich golfing heritage on the world stage is something truly special.

I was also delighted to see the Southern Guards perform so admirably, coming so close to securing the team title. They represented themselves, and South Africa, with great distinction. Just as the Nedbank Golf Challenge does, I have no doubt this event will also help inspire the next generation of young South Africans to pick up a club and dream big."

SHANK, by Matt Hooper