South African Golf Dealt Major Blow As LIV Golf Shuts Down and Southern Guards Confirm Exit
- More than 100,000 fans attended LIV Golf’s historic South African debut, but the planned 2027 return to Steyn City has now been cancelled
- The tournament generated significant economic activity for Gauteng, with hotels, restaurants, transport operators and other businesses among the beneficiaries
- Southern Guards GC have confirmed their departure from professional golf following the collapse of the Saudi-backed league
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South African golf has suffered a major setback after LIV Golf announced it would wind down operations, ending plans to bring its international tournament back to Steyn City in 2027.
The development also has financial implications for Gauteng, which had been preparing to welcome another major international sporting event capable of attracting thousands of visitors and generating business for local companies.
Southern Guards GC, the South African team featuring Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Dean Burmester and Charl Schwartzel, confirmed its departure from professional golf on Friday, 6 November.
The announcement followed LIV Golf's decision to abandon plans for a revamped 2027 competition after failing to secure the financing needed to continue operating.
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South Africa loses major sporting and tourism opportunity
The cancellation is particularly disappointing given the success of LIV Golf's first African tournament, held at Steyn City from 19 to 22 March 2026.
More than 100,000 fans attended the event, making it the highest-attended professional golf tournament in South African history. The tournament had been scheduled to return to Gauteng from 22 to 25 April 2027.
Its economic contribution extended beyond the golf course. International and domestic visitors created demand for accommodation, restaurants, transport, entertainment and retail services.
The National Sport Satellite Account's event analysis estimates that LIV Golf South Africa 2026 generated R524 million in gross value added, supported approximately 4,800 jobs and produced R100 million in tax revenue. These are modelled impact estimates, rather than a confirmed amount of money that will now be lost in 2027.
An earlier report by SA Press, citing projections following the tournament, put the potential contribution to Gauteng's economy at close to R1 billion.
The cancellation therefore removes an opportunity for businesses and workers to benefit from another tournament. Hotels, restaurants, event suppliers, transport operators and temporary workers will no longer have the additional demand that a repeat event could have generated.
It also means South Africa loses another opportunity to showcase its tourism and event-hosting capabilities to an international audience.
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Southern Guards pay tribute to South African fans
Southern Guards general manager Richard Glover described the shutdown as an incredibly sad moment for everyone involved with the franchise. He thanked the players, partners and staff, while paying special tribute to the supporters who attended the Steyn City tournament.
Glover recalled seeing players in tears on the first tee and hearing fans sing the national anthem around the 18th green. The team finished second in the tournament, one stroke behind Crushers GC.
The wider financial collapse of LIV Golf has been substantial. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund invested more than US$5 billion in the league since its launch in 2022, but ended its financial backing beyond the 2026 season. A proposed US$300 million financing arrangement with BC Partners subsequently fell apart, leaving the league to pursue an orderly wind-down and liquidation.
That investment figure reflects the scale of the global project, not money invested directly into South Africa.
For South African golf supporters, however, the immediate consequence is clear: the country will not host the planned 2027 LIV Golf tournament, and the businesses that benefited from its successful debut have lost the prospect of another major event.
SuperSport faces questions over its LIV Golf partnership
Briefly News previously reported that SuperSport's association with LIV Golf has come under scrutiny following the Saudi-backed league's decision to wind down operations.
The broadcaster played a major role in bringing the competition's first African tournament to Steyn City in March 2026, renewing its broadcast partnership and deploying more than 25 production personnel to help deliver international coverage.
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Source: Briefly News
