By Kevin Rademeyer, Sports Journalist.
Photo Credit: Matthew Harris/LIV Golf.
Johannesburg is poised to host a landmark moment in world golf as the LIV Golf tour makes its long awaited debut on African soil at Steyn City this week. The tournament, which begins on Thursday, is already being described by players and organisers alike as one of the most significant sporting events staged in South Africa in recent years.
For Charl Schwartzel, the occasion carries both professional and personal weight. The former Masters champion, who famously won the inaugural LIV Golf event in London in 2022, reflected on how far the tour has come since its turbulent beginnings.
“At that first event there was uncertainty across the sport. Nobody quite knew what to expect,” Schwartzel said earlier this week. “To now see the tour arrive here in South Africa, and the scale of what has been created, is something very special.”
Schwartzel will form part of the all South African Stinger GC lineup alongside Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace and Dean Burmester. The quartet are expected to draw strong local support, with more than 90,000 spectators anticipated across the four day event.
The tournament marks the fifth stop of the current LIV Golf season and features a field stacked with international major champions. Among those set to compete are Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia.
Six time major champion Phil Mickelson will also return to competitive golf this week, ending an extended absence prompted by a family health matter. The 55 year old has not competed since the 2025 season finale, having withdrawn from multiple early season events to be with his wife, Amy, during the period. His comeback comes at a crucial juncture in the calendar, with the The Masters just weeks away, where Mickelson, a three time winner, is expected to make his 34th appearance as he seeks to regain form following a challenging run in last year’s major championships.
For many South African fans, it will be the first opportunity in years to watch such a concentration of elite global talent on home fairways, echoing memories of the golden era of big money tournaments at Sun City.
Beyond the sporting spectacle, the financial scale of the event underscores LIV Golf’s growing influence. Each tournament on the 2026 calendar carries a total purse of 30 million dollars, with 20 million allocated to individual competition and 10 million to team play. The individual winner will claim 4 million dollars, while every competitor in the 57 player field is guaranteed earnings, even those finishing at the bottom of the leaderboard.
The team format, a defining feature of the LIV structure, has also evolved this season. All four scores from each team now count in every round, increasing both pressure and competitive integrity. Thirteen teams will compete for a share of the team prize pool, with the winners taking home 3 million dollars.
Organisers and government officials are equally focused on the broader economic impact. The influx of international visitors is expected to boost Johannesburg’s hospitality sector significantly, with projections suggesting close to one billion rand in economic activity. Hotels, restaurants and local businesses are already reporting heightened demand, while the event’s global broadcast reach is set to showcase South Africa to a wide international audience.
There is also a community dimension. LIV Golf has committed funding towards local initiatives, including support for projects in nearby Diepsloot, signalling an effort to leave a tangible legacy beyond the fairways.
Adding to the festival atmosphere, the tournament will blend sport with entertainment. Evening concerts featuring internationally recognised artists such as Black Coffee and Calvin Harris are expected to draw additional crowds and broaden the event’s appeal beyond traditional golf audiences.
For Schwartzel and his compatriots, however, the focus remains firmly on delivering a performance worthy of the occasion. While he has yet to replicate his opening LIV victory, he emphasised the pride of competing at home. “We have seen what these events can be elsewhere, especially in places like Adelaide,” he said. “But to experience it here, with South African fans, is something else entirely.”
As the first tee shots are struck on Thursday, LIV Golf’s South African debut represents more than just another tournament. It is a convergence of sport, spectacle and economic ambition, and a moment that could reshape the country’s place on the global golfing map.