Steyn City will reward ‘quality golf shots’, says Schwartzel as LIV tees off in SA

South African golf fans are in for a treat from Thursday when the first LIV Golf tournament in Africa tees off at Steyn City, according to former Masters champion and inaugural LIV Golf tournament winner, Charl Schwartzel.

The 41-year-old, who won the Masters in 2011 as well as LIV’s first ever tournament in London in 2022, is expected to get plenty of support from a big home crowd, along with his Southern Guards team-mates Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace and Dean Burmester.

All 57 players in the field, including the likes of Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson will tee off on different holes at the same time in a 10.05am shotgun start on Thursday. The tee-off time has been brought forward from 12.30pm.

Schwartzel will be off alongside Westwood and Rahm on the first hole on Thursday in round one, Oosthuizen will also go off in the second group on the first with DeChambeau and Johnson, Grace will play alongside Tyrrell Hatton and Harold Varner III from the 13th hole, while Burmester will start at the 18th with Joaquin Niemann and Thomas Detry.

‘It’s going to be amazing’

“Of course, there will be a bit of pressure on the four South Africans this week, but we’re used to it, we’ve been doing this for a long time,” said Schwartzel.

“It’s a positive though, as we’ll have lots of fans supporting us this week.

“LIV has grown so much since 2022 when there was so much uncertainty in the game. But, it’s gone from strength to strength and it’s been fantastic to be a part of it.

“What’s been created here (at Steyn City) makes me very proud. This country has never had a golfing event that’s set up like this. It’s going to be amazing.”

Schwartzel added the Steyn City layout and kikuyu grass, which is foreign to many in the 57-man field, would make things interesting this week.

‘Hitting long will be an advantage’

“Dean (Burmseter) destroyed this course in September when he and I played here. The first thing we had to do was toughen it up and that’s been done. We wanted to make the guys think and reward quality golf shots.

“With all the rain that’s been around the rough will be thick and juicy so hitting fairways will be crucial. Bryson (DeChambeau) hasn’t felt thick kikuyu yet.”

Grace added: “The course is immaculate. It’s definitely been toughened up. And, it’s going to be firmer, faster and better. The golf’s going to be something spectacular.”

Rahm said the kikuyu grass “plays different” to what many pros are used to.

“There won’t be a lot of roll off the tee, so you can be aggressive. Hitting long will be an advantage. The greens should also be soft … so I’m expecting some low scores.”

Smith, who won the Open at St Andrews in 2022, said scrambling would be key this week. “With such long rough, you’re going to have to scramble well this week.”