The 2025 LIV Golf League season is set to kick off in February, with a total of 14 tournaments scheduled throughout the year. The circuit will play six tournaments in the United States and eight worldwide, including new venues like Korea and Mexico City. Despite having a four-man South African team, Stinger GC, since the inception of the LIV events in June 2022, South Africa has been left out of the schedule. Stinger GC, led by captain Louis Oosthuizen, are working hard to bring an event to their home country, with talks ongoing with the Sunshine Tour and potential sponsors. Oosthuizen expressed the team’s goal of hosting a tournament in South Africa and highlighted the importance of doing it right.
As the push for a LIV event in South Africa continues, there has been discussion about potentially awarding Major exemptions to LIV Golfers. Currently, Major qualifications are based on a player’s position in the Official Golf World Ranking, from which LIV Golfers are excluded. However, with former Major champion Trevor Immelman recently appointed as the Chairman of the OWGR, there is hope for LIV players to receive World Ranking points in the future. Oosthuizen, who has previously criticized the OWGR system, expressed his optimism about Immelman’s ability to find a solution to the ranking issue and pave the way for LIV Golfers to compete in Majors.
Oosthuizen and Immelman have a longstanding relationship, having played together at the Presidents Cup in 2019. Oosthuizen acknowledged the challenges Immelman faces in trying to reform the World Ranking system to be more inclusive of players from various Tours. He emphasized the need for each Tour to be assigned spots in Major championships and suggested that the Majors allocate a certain number of spots to players based on their performance in each Tour’s order of merit. Oosthuizen believes that this approach would ensure fair opportunities for players regardless of their Tour affiliation and address the current shortcomings of the ranking system.
One of the key issues facing LIV Golfers is their exclusion from the Official Golf World Ranking, which impacts their eligibility for Major championships. Oosthuizen highlighted the difficulty for players outside the top 50 in the world rankings to climb back up due to the lack of opportunities to earn ranking points. He proposed a system where each Tour, including LIV, PGA Tour, and European Tour, is allocated spots in Major championships based on their performance, rather than relying solely on World Ranking points. Oosthuizen emphasized the importance of creating a more equitable system that allows players from different Tours to compete in Majors and have a fair chance at success.
Despite the challenges and limitations faced by LIV Golfers in the current World Ranking system, Oosthuizen remains hopeful for the future. With Immelman at the helm of the OWGR and ongoing discussions about Major exemptions for LIV players, there is potential for positive changes that could benefit golfers from various Tours, including LIV. Oosthuizen’s advocacy for a fair and inclusive system reflects his commitment to advancing the sport and creating opportunities for all players to showcase their talent on a global stage. As the 2025 LIV Golf League season approaches, the golfing world awaits the developments that could shape the future of the sport and the competitive landscape for years to come.
