Vorster back in as Louis misses LIV Golf NY

LIV Golf returns to American soil this week for the 11th event of the 2026 season, with Southern Guards GC looking to build on another consistent team performance as the league heads to Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.

The venue will host its third LIV Golf tournament, having previously welcomed the league in 2022 and 2023.

Southern Guards GC arrive in New York seventh in the team standings after another top-10 finish at LIV Golf UK, where Dean Burmester and Branden Grace led the all-South African team with tied-17th finishes.

Captain Louis Oosthuizen continues his recovery from a recurring back injury after deciding following Tuesday’s practice round that he would not tee it up this week. Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel once again leads the team alongside Branden Grace, Dean Burmester and Martin Vorster, who retains his place in the line-up after an impressive LIV Golf debut in the UK.

Reflecting on LIV Golf UK, Schwartzel believes his game is trending in the right direction despite a frustrating finish.

“I thought I actually played really solid the whole week,” said Schwartzel.

“Unfortunately, a bad double bogey on the last hole left a sour taste, but overall it was one of my more solid weeks.”

Schwartzel also praised Vorster after the young South African impressed during his first LIV Golf appearance.

“I’m very proud of Martin. I thought he played extremely well,” he said.

“He was thrown into the deep end a little bit and handled himself really well.”

Looking ahead to Bedminster, Schwartzel expects another demanding test.

“It can be quite a windy golf course and it’s obviously extremely long,” he said.

“From what we’ve found over the years, it tends to suit the longer hitters, so you need to take advantage of the par fives when the opportunities come.”

The Individual Championship race also heats up this week, with season-long leader Jon Rahm closing in on a third consecutive LIV Golf Individual Championship. However, his advantage over Bryson DeChambeau was reduced by more than 100 points following LIV Golf UK, setting up another intriguing battle in New York.

For Southern Guards GC, Dean Burmester heads into the week as the highest-ranked South African in the Individual Championship standings in 13th place, while the all-South African team sit seventh in the season-long standings.

LIV Golf New York takes place from 6–9 August at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster as Southern Guards GC continue to proudly represent South Africa on the global stage.