Johannesburg to host first LIV Golf event in Africa
Major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia are some of the stars in the LIV Golf stable.
Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, former Major champions from South Africa, also compete on the LIV circuit.
"It is always special to compete at home, and I am incredibly proud to bring LIV Golf to South Africa for the first time," said Oosthuizen in a statement.
Chilean Joaquin Niemann, who has never won a Major, has been the most successful LIV competitor with six titles.
The inclusion of South Africa raises to five the number of continents where LIV tournaments will be staged. The tour is financed by the Saudi Arabia-based Public Investment Fund.
Unlike traditional 72-hole events staged over four days in the United States, Europe, Australasia and Africa, LIV use one day less, confining tournaments to 54 holes.
LIV also differs from tours like the USPGA, where placings are decided by individual scores, as it also has team competitions.
"Bringing LIV Golf to South Africa is another significant moment in our journey," said senior LIV Golf official Ross Hallett.
"We currently have events in Asia, Europe, Australasia, North America and today we add Africa, marking another exciting opportunity to showcase LIV Golf to a new audience and market."
The first event by the breakaway tour -- LIV Golf London -- was staged in 2022 and won by Schwartzel, who had topped the Masters leaderboard 11 years earlier.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
4 hours ago
- France 24
England's remarkable Euro 2025 success a triumph for 'incredible' Wiegman
The Dutch coach has now firmly established herself as one of the greatest in the women's game. The Lionesses came from behind against Spain to draw 1-1 after extra time before winning Sunday's final 3-1 on penalties in Basel, exacting revenge for their defeat in the World Cup decider in 2023. England cannot claim to have been the most accomplished tournament winners, having started by losing 2-1 to France. That was followed by a quarter-final against Sweden in which they were 2-0 down with 12 minutes to go before roaring back to equalise and eventually win on penalties. Then came the semi-final against Italy, when Wiegman's team required a 96th-minute Michelle Agyemang equaliser to force extra time and Chloe Kelly scored the winner as a shoot-out loomed. England won the trophy despite being ahead for a grand total of one minute across three knockout ties, and Wiegman admitted: "This is the most chaotic and ridiculous tournament we have played. "Of course we have players who have talent, and the togetherness of this team is really, really incredible," she added. "The players think they can win by any means, and we just never, ever give up." Regardless of how they did it, Wiegman's Lionesses are the first England senior team, men's or women's, to lift a major trophy on foreign soil. Three in a row They were hit in the run-up to the tournament by the retirements of goalkeeper Mary Earps and Fran Kirby, along with Chelsea captain Millie Bright's decision to make herself unavailable. But England's success was achieved in large part thanks to their strength in depth, with the quality available to Wiegman on the bench helping them change the course of numerous games. If England do not have the same clearly defined way of playing as Aitana Bonmati's Spain, they do have a brilliant manager. The Lionesses had never won any major tournament before Wiegman arrived in 2021, and now they have won back-to-back Euros while also reaching a first Women's World Cup final. They have rarely done it easily, with just three wins out of nine in major tournament knockout matches under the Dutchwoman coming inside 90 minutes. But her influence is obvious, given the way England's players speak about her, and Wiegman's record is remarkable. She has been to five consecutive finals between European Championships and World Cups, and has won three straight Euros having led her native Netherlands to victory in 2017 before taking charge of England. "She is bloody amazing. She is an incredible woman," said Kelly, who scored the winning penalty against Spain. "We should all be so grateful for what she has done for this country. She has taken the women's game, not just in England but the whole women's game, to another level." Record attendance Thoughts will soon turn to what the future might hold for the winners and England will switch their attentions to the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, with qualifying starting early next year. English FA chief Mark Bullingham said last week that they were determined to retain Wiegman, whose contract runs through to the World Cup. Assuming they qualify, England will hope to be among the leading contenders along with Spain and Olympic champions the United States, coached by England's Emma Hayes. On the whole, the tournament in Switzerland confirmed the growing popularity of women's football, with the total attendance of 657,291 the highest ever at a European Championship -- even more than in England in 2022, despite over 87,000 attending that year's final at Wembley. It also confirmed England and Spain as the leading forces, off the back of Arsenal defeating Barcelona in the Women's Champions League final. But there was plenty of drama throughout the competition, and impressive performances elsewhere, notably from Italy in reaching their first semi-final since 1997. Wiegman is optimistic the competition will have a lasting impact in helping the women's game grow across the continent. "How I have experienced this tournament is that the level went up again, the intensity of the games went through the roof," said the 55-year-old. © 2025 AFP
France 24
14 hours ago
- France 24
Kitayama captures PGA 3M Open title with big birdie weekend
With his older brother Daniel serving as his caddie, the 32-year-old American fired a six-under-par 65 to finish 72 holes on 23-under-par 261 at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota. That was good enough for a one-stroke victory over countryman Sam Stevens, who had five back-nine birdies to keep the pressure on Kitayama to the finish. "I feel like the game has been trending and for it to finally pay off now has been awesome," said Kitayama, who was one off the 72-hole tournament record set by Lee Hodges in 2023. Kitayama, who fired a career-low 60 on Saturday after fighting to make the cut on Friday, sank 20 birdies in the final two rounds -- the most by any PGA Tour winner since 2003. "On Friday I was like finding my swing and grinding to make the cut," Kitayama said. "Went to the range to find something and obviously found something on Saturday and it continued today with that unbelievable start that I had. Just kind of went from there." Kitayama also won in 2023 at Bay Hill but this time was even better with his brother as bagman. "It's very special. It has been awesome having him on the bag," Kitayama said. Kitayama jumped from 110th to 53rd in the season points chase ahead of next week's regular-season finale at Greensboro, ensuring his spot among the top 70 in points who advance to next month's FedEx Cup playoffs. Kitayama's stunning start put him on 23-under with a three-stroke lead at the turn. He birdied first on a putt from just inside six feet, the second on a tap-in after his approach landed inches from the hole and the third on a 22-foot putt. A tap-in birdie at the fifth, a 10-footer for birdie at six and a four-foot birdie putt completed the early surge. Kitayama found the deep left rough at 11 and made bogey, but answered with a six-foot birdie putt on 12 and restored his three-shot lead with a tap-in birdie at 14 after dropping his approach two feet from the hole. Stevens reeled off three birdies in a row to reach 22-under with a birdie putt from just inside five feet at the 16th and Kitayama's three-putt bogey at the par-three 17th sent the drama to the par-five 18th. Stevens found the rough on his first three shots but salvaged par to stay one back. Kitayama landed his second shot in a greenside bunker 60 feet from the hole but blasted out to 17 feet and two-putted for par and the victory.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Trump's Turnberry visit puts British Open back on agenda
When the golf fanatic purchased the storied resort in 2014, he would have been forgiven for thinking he would finally achieve his dream of seeing a men's major championship played at one of his many courses. But 2009 remains the last time Turnberry has hosted golf's only non-US major, with organisers the Royal and Ancient (R&A) citing logistical challenges and fears that the event could become the Trump show. "The players all want to be at Turnberry," Trump told reporters after landing at Prestwick Airport, just north of his course, on Friday night, declaring it "the best course anywhere in the world". Following the storming of the US Capitol by Trump supporters in January 2021, the R&A said the Open would not return to Turnberry until "the focus will be on the championship" rather than the course's proprietor. New chief executive Mark Darbon struck a much softer tone earlier this month when he stressed that the R&A had "explicitly not" removed Turnberry's Ailsa course from its rotating pool of venues. But he added that upgrades to road, rail, and accommodation infrastructure around the site on Scotland's windswept west coast would be needed for any return. Darbon also revealed that he met Trump's son, Eric, earlier this year but denied UK media reports that the British government has been pressuring the R&A to put Turnberry back on the rota. "We love the golf course but we've got some big logistical challenges there," Darbon told reporters covering the 153rd British Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, which ended last Sunday. Almost 280,000 fans were at Portrush, more than double the 120,000 at Turnberry in 2009, when journeyman Stewart Cink deprived veteran Tom Watson of a fairytale sixth Open title. Turnberry in 1977 hosted what is widely considered one of the greatest British Opens ever when Watson pipped Jack Nicklaus to the Claret Jug. The scenic course, instantly recognisable to golf fans due to its shimmering lighthouse, also hosted the Open in 1986 and 1994, when Greg Norman and Nick Price triumphed. Two-time major winner and Trump ally Bryson DeChambeau recently backed Turnberry to host golf's oldest major again. "It's one of the best golf courses in the world, and I'd love for it to be a part of the rotation," the 31-year-old told reporters at Portrush. DeChambeau, who hit chips on the White House lawn during a visit in June, sought to allay fears that the president would overshadow the event, as he did when he landed his helicopter near the course during the 2015 Women's British Open. Protests Organisers will also be wary of possible protests. The site, about 50 miles (80 kilometres) south of Glasgow, was vandalised in March when protesters sprayed "GAZA IS NOT 4 SALE" across the grass, referring to Trump's suggestion of turning the Palestinian territory into luxury real estate. Trump has made much of his love for golf, using it for business and diplomacy, and even political one-upmanship. He often lambasted Barack Obama for regularly taking to the course during his time in the White House, before going on to play frequently himself as president. According to online trackers, Trump has played golf about 20 percent of the time since returning to the presidency in January. During his first term he played several times with late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. Last year, Trump and Joe Biden sparred over their respective golf abilities during a television debate. Trump's handicap -- the mark of a player's skill -- has been listed as a mightily impressive three, but that and claims he has won 18 club championships has raised eyebrows, as documented by American golf writer Rick Reilly in his 2019 book "Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump". The Trump Organization began acquiring golf resorts in 1999 and lists 16 operational globally on its website, with more to follow. His Bedminster course near New York had been scheduled to host the 2022 PGA Championship, but organisers moved the major after the Capitol riots, sparking an angry response from the Trump Organization. And despite his deep passion for the game, it is highly unlikely that Trump will witness a major at Turnberry before his second presidential term ends in 2029. © 2025 AFP
