On Wednesday, long LIV captain and former major champion Louis Oosthuizen announced his departure from LIV Golf, which deals the final blow to the future of the league.
Oosthuizen joins Jon Rahm as the most notable LIV players to publicly confirm their exits from the league. And while Rahm is a much better player than Oosthuizen, and his decision to leave far more impactful, Oosthuizen’s importance to the league should not be overlooked.
He captained the Southern Guard team for the entire existence of LIV. This team consisted entirely of South African professionals, and LIV’s South Africa tournament was one of their biggest successes. Additionally, Oosthuizen’s success at major championships, including his 2010 Open Championship win and a slew of top finishes, has elevated the stature of the league.
Another difference between the departures of the two players? Rahm’s announcement arrived via lawyers in a bankruptcy court.
Oosthuizen took another route, writing an emotional farewell shared on his social channels.
Louis Oosthuizen confirms he will leave LIV Golf, plans to play on DP World Tour
U post on Oosthuizen’s social channels opened by confirming that “he has not signed again with LIV Golf for his next chapter” and will instead play the DP World Tour in 2027.
It then featured several quotes from Oosthuizen, in which the major champion shared that joining LIV at its inception was “one of the best decisions” of his life.
“Five years ago, I made one of the best decisions of my life, moving away from the traditional world of golf and into something very special with LIV Golf and Southern Guards GC. I am the biggest supporter of team golf and always will be. Golf needs more,” said Oosthuizen.
Oosthuizen revealed that his decision hinged on his belief that he has a few years left to compete on pro golf’s biggest stages, and his “biggest fear” was that LIV’s 2027 schedule would hinder his ability to do so.
“I realized that I have a lot more in me, and my biggest fear was that the schedule in LIV 2.0 would be hard to manage,” said Oosthuizen. “I feel like I have a few years of good, competitive golf left in me, and the only way to be really strong and competitive is through a schedule that I control.”
He also expressed his regrets at leaving his Southern Guards team and described his departure from LIV Golf as the “toughest decision” of his entire career.
“Southern Guards is my team. It always has been and always will be. That’s what makes this so difficult. This is probably the hardest decision I’ve had to make in my career, but I have to do what I believe is right for my golf,” Oosthuizen explained. “It doesn’t change how I feel about the team or the guys.”
He continued: “Bringing LIV Golf to South Africa was one of the best things I have done in my career. It was for the people of South Africa, and I think it was a great success. It is the best that has come this year. I will always be grateful to PIF and LIV for what they have done for me. I have made new friends and I am even closer to my current friends and family.”
In comments to the South China Morning Post ahead of his appearance at the Asian Tour’s Link Hong Kong Open, Oosthuizen said it was “time to move on”, and reiterated his focus on the majors.
“I’ve had some success in the majors, but you work and play to get a sniff of it again. I’m at a different stage in my golf life, but it’s pretty sweet when you’re still called Open Champion,” said Oosthuizen. “The Open is on a course that I like and where I won. The goal is to get my game as strong as possible, to get myself ready, then see how it goes.”
In addition to his 2010 Open victory at St. Andrews, Oosthuizen has made five major finals, most recently at the 2021 PGA Championship and 2021 US Open. He lost the 2012 Masters to Bubba Watson in a playoff, and Zach Johnson beat him in a three-man playoff at the 2015 Open in St. Louis. Andrews.
As a result of his 2010 victory, Oosthuizen qualifies for every Open at the age of 60, so he will be there when he returns to the Old Course in St. Andrews in July next year. He has significant work to do to qualify for the other 2027 majors.
Once ranked as high as 4th in the official world golf rankings, Oosthuizen saw his ranking. down to the 539th since joining LIV.
Oosthuizen is the second LIV captain to exit the league in recent weeks, after Rahm. Another captain could also be on his way out. Sergio Garcia’s LIV contract has been terminated at the request of his lawyers in early October.
Garcia had already expressed interest in playing at LIV 2.0 and the DP World Tour in 2027. But in view of the recent LIV ban from the DP World Tourwill have to choose between the two. Given his interest in being a part of the European Ryder Cup team, it seems likely he will choose to leave LIV Golf as well.
