Dean Burmester and the Southern Guards aim to make South Africa proud with a historic LIV Golf season, including the debut of the SA tournament in March at Steyn City. The Southern Guards Golf Club has made it clear they want to be spoken about in the same breath as South Africa’s most successful sporting teams ahead of the new LIV Golf season. Just as the Springboks, Blitzboks, Women Boks and Proteas have flown the flag on the world stage in recent years, they want to show that South African golf belongs right there too.
After finishing third in last season’s league, the all-South African foursome of captain Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel and Dean Burmester know they are close to something special. That result proved they can compete against the best players and teams in the world, but it has also left them hungry for more success. For the group, progress is not just about results, but about building a golf legacy that South African fans can be proud of.
They often look to the country’s other national teams for inspiration. The Springboks’ dominance, the Blitzboks’ energy and success when they play in the Cape Town leg of the World Rugby SVNS Series, and the rise of the Women Boks, Banyana Banyana and Proteas have shown what belief, unity and hard work can achieve. The Southern Guards, who rebranded recently from Stinger GC, see those teams as proof that South Africa thrives when it competes together with a clear purpose.
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The new LIV Golf season begins in February, and every tournament will form part of Team SG’s build-up to a landmark moment: the first-ever LIV Golf tournament on South African soil. That historic event will take place at Steyn City in March 2026, and it is already circled on their calendar. Winning at home would mean more than just a trophy.
It would be a chance to make history and reward supporters who will finally get to see them compete live on an international stage. Burmester, who led the South African charge last season with a victory in Chicago, says the focus is on delivering more consistent performances to improve on last season’s overall third-place finish. “A big goal of the team is to get into the final three more often this season, especially in March in front of our home crowd, and the four of us pride ourselves on being consistent and good golfers,” Burmester said.
“Last year’s ending and getting into the final three was a real eye-opener for us. We all enjoyed being part of that situation and competing against the Crushers and Legion teams with Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm on the final day in front of 25,000 people.
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