Who Is Louis Oosthuizen? The Southern Guards Captain Stepping Away From LIV Golf

Why Louis Oosthuizen Is Stepping Away From LIV Golf© Instagram

Louis Oosthuizen confirmed last week that he will not be joining LIV Golf's 2.0 era in 2027. The 44-year-old South African, who has captained the Southern Guards since LIV's launch, announced the decision on social media ahead of the Hong Kong Open. He called it probably the hardest decision of his professional career, and his reasoning was straightforward: the new LIV schedule would require too much international travel, and at this point in his career, he needs to manage his body on his own terms.

“My biggest fear was that the schedule on LIV 2.0 would be tough to manage,” Oosthuizen said. “I need to arrange my own schedule and look after my body.”

He plans to return to the DP World Tour in January 2027 through a category 11 exemption available to players with significant career earnings on the circuit. He has 11 wins on the tour and wants to stay competitive for a few more years, with his eyes fixed specifically on major championships.

The Career Behind the Decision

Oosthuizen is the 2010 Open champion, having lifted the Claret Jug at St Andrews in one of the more dominant performances in major championship history. He led wire to wire and won by seven shots. In the years that followed he became one of the most persistent runners-up in major golf, finishing second at all four majors at various points without adding a second title. That record, frustrating to some observers, speaks to just how consistently he competed at the highest level for more than a decade.

What His Exit Means for LIV

The Southern Guards were an all-South African squad built around Oosthuizen alongside Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, and Dean Burmester. LIV leadership had reportedly expected the full roster to commit to the new era. His departure leaves that expectation in doubt, with his three teammates now facing the same decision independently. Oosthuizen was clear that joining LIV in the first place ranked among the best decisions of his life. Leaving it, he said, was simply a matter of knowing what the next few years of his career needed to look like.