STEYN CITY– “PLEASE don’t compare me to Tiger Woods, I’m still way too below that grade,” remarked the winner of the 2026 LIV Golf SA, Bryson DeChambeau with a wryly smile.
Seated alongside his quartet, the Crushers’ team during a media brief, the emotional DeChambeau also dedicated the win to his late Dad.
“My Dad kept pushing me not to lose hope and always preserve to achieve things. Its been tough and life is never easy,” said the winner, who kept on wiping flowing tears that was followed by rapturous applause from media.
“A lot had happened in my life last week, and I am so grateful for my team and everybody supporting me,” he cited.
The much debuted LIV Golf SA tournament drew over 100 000-strong spectators, who graced rain over four days at the much loved Steyn City, Johannesburg.
Asked if he heard a bit of Afrikaans being uttered during the play from excited fans, DeChambeau cheekily said yes and at times had to consult with SA team members (Southern Guards) what was said.
The Crushers team featured Paul Casey, Charles Howell III and Anirban Lahiri, who beat South Africa’s Southern Guards (Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace and Dean Burmester) by a single shot with 76 under-par.
Both DeChambeau and Jon Rahm (Spanish) finished on 26 under-pars over 72 holes, but claimed his fifth LIV Golf title on the first extra hole with a birdie.
On the victory, the American said ‘South Africa was unbelievable, it has to be the best LIV Golf event we have ever had’.
President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, who is an ardent Golfer graced the final day and had this to say during presentation: “The LIV Golf is a revolutionary professional golf format that complements traditional golf whole bringing new levels of excitement and engagement to fans and players alike.”
“The tournament showcased SA to a global audience of an estimated 1bn households in over 200 countries,” he told roaring fans, alongside the minister of Sport Gayton McKenzie.
For the very first time in the history of events in SA, both Pres and his deputy Paul Mashatile attended the tourney, thus showing the significance of the tournament from tourism and sport perspectives.
As a result, the organisers confirmed SA will have another bite in 2027 from adjusted dates: April 22 to 25 at the same venue.
A good pay-out
DeChambeau pockets $4 million for his win or R68 million.
The winning team, the Crushers, will share $3 million, or R51 million.
For finishing second Rahm will bank $2.25 million, or R38.2 million.
The best-placed South African, Branden Grace (23-under-par), who finished in a tie for third, will take home a hefty $1.1 million, or R18.7 million.
Dean Burmester, who finished tied sixth on 22-under-par, will bank $650,000 for his week’s efforts, which is R11 million.
Louis Oosthuizen (tied 17th on 16-under-par) will be happy with $250,000, or R4.2 million, while Charl Schwartzel (tied 24th on 14-under-par) will get $187,500, or R3.2 million.
For finishing alone in second place in the team competition, the Southern Guards will also get $1.5 million or R25.5 million to share between them.
Celebrities, sports stars, business figures, academics, kids and old-ones, came to lay claim for having being the first to grace this sought-after tourney in the world.
To the organisers a very thank YOU for treating media as partners.
Kudos to an incident free tourney, except a brawl that broke out due to intoxication!
Image supplied (2026 LIV Golf SA, winner Bryson DeChambeau and his Crusher’s team, celebrating a win at the rainy Steyn City, Johannesburg, on Sunday afternoon).
