SA Sports Minister praises African inclusion as LIV Golf confirms Johannesburg debut

The tournament will take place from March 20–22 at the prestigious Steyn City course in Johannesburg, a Jack Nicklaus-designed layout situated in Midrand. The event forms part of a multi-year commitment to bring LIV Golf to Africa, marking the fifth continent to host a tournament under the league's banner.

South Africa's Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, welcomed the announcement and commended LIV Golf's decision to add Africa to its global calendar.

"LIV Golf has taken a step that I think is worth emulating for all the major sporting bodies around the world," said McKenzie. "LIV Golf understands that it cannot truly be called an international competition if it misses a continent. I thought it's going to be very hard to convince LIV Golf that they have to go to South Africa. I can tell you, after meeting Scott, the CEO, after meeting Ross, I have nothing but praise for them."

LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil said the decision to bring the tour to South Africa was driven by shared enthusiasm and a clear vision for long-term partnership.

"It truly takes a village to bring an event of this size and scope to a new location," said O'Neil. "Me and the Minister - in five minutes - and speaking to Ross Hallett and Chris Bentley, two of my colleagues here, we knew instantly that this is a place we want to be for a very long time.

"I'm humbled. I'm thrilled. To the amazing country of South Africa, we bring an amazing group of people. We bring the best players in the world of golf, and we bring airplane flights, and we fill hotel rooms, and we fill restaurants. In Australia just last year, we had $84 million USD of economic impact. We also bring social impact."

LIV Golf player and Stinger GC captain Louis Oosthuizen echoed the excitement, saying the South African stop will be a meaningful moment for local players and fans alike.

"It's always special to compete at home, and I'm incredibly proud to bring LIV Golf to South Africa for the first time," said Oosthuizen. "For Branden, Charl, Dean and I to play in front of our fans, friends and families will be an unforgettable experience. South African sports fans love their golf, and I am sure they will turn out in large numbers to support Stinger GC. South Africa has given so much to us, and now we get to give something back."

The tournament will feature 18 major champions playing on South African soil, including the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, and the all-South African Stinger GC team led by Louis Oosthuizen.

LIV Golf has already confirmed several other stops for the 2026 season, including a return to Adelaide, Australia (Feb 13–15), and to JCB Golf and Country Club in the UK (July 24–26).

Further events are expected in Saudi Arabia, the United States, and across Asia, with past tournaments held in Singapore, Hong Kong, and more recently, Korea.

The full 2026 LIV Golf schedule is expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks.