As the 2025 LIV Golf League season draws nearer and nearer, the 13 teams are starting to complete their rosters for the year and, in terms of Stinger GC, they are welcoming back a familiar face.
Having been relegated at the end of the 2024 LIV Golf League, questions had arisen as to whether Branden Grace would be back on the South African side. Now, one month out from the season opener in Riyadh, the former LIV winner is back on the roster.
As imagined, the announcement caused reaction in the golf world, with many baffled as to why a relegated player was able to walk back into a LIV Golf side. However, according to the Stinger GC captain, Louis Oosthuizen, "we wanted no-one else on the team."
Speaking to Golf Monthly, the former Open champion explained that, despite the relegation, Grace was always going to feature for Stinger GC following two strong seasons that saw him finish second and ninth in the individual standings.
“We knew it for a while, but we had to keep it quiet. It didn’t really make sense to bring anyone else into the team. We wanted Branden back," stated Oosthuizen. "He had an unbelievable first two seasons and last year was fighting a few things, like injury and losing a bit of confidence, which can quickly happen to anyone. But we know the player he is and we wanted no-one else really on the team. We were fighting to get him back here."
Finishing 51st in the 2024 individual standings, Grace was well outside the top 48 and, subsequently, was relegated from the circuit. Despite this, the 36-year-old still showed glimpses of his form, firing a seven-under round at the Team Championship, as well as producing a runner-up finish at the LIV Golf Promotions event and a top 10 finish at the Saudi International.
However, with the depth of South African golf and the amount of eye-catching performances being put in over various Tours, it was then an uncertainty as to whether Grace would return. According to Oosthuizen, though, the 42-year-old never considered another South African player to join Stinger GC.
“No (we didn’t ask any other players to join), from the get-go we were working with LIV and saying we want him back. We were asking how can we get him back? What is the procedure and what do we need to do? We just had to wait and, obviously, he nearly got in via the Promotions Event, but we wanted him back. Not for one second did we think of anyone else."
One other talking point that has been mentioned is the possibility of LIV Golf making an appearance in South Africa in the future. According to reports, the contract length Grace has signed is for two years and, according to Oosthuizen, he is hoping to bring LIV Golf to South Africa "in 2026 or 2027."
“To get a potential sponsor in South Africa, and to get a tournament in South Africa, which we are still trying to do, they wanted the four of us," explained the Stinger GC captain, who finished sixth in the individual standings for 2024.
"It’s difficult going to them (sponsors) and saying ‘we might change the team and there might be someone new coming in,' then the sponsors are unsure and like ‘we don’t want the team to change right now.’ So there was a bunch of things."
So, what about the reaction of the signing of Grace? Well, with the season drawing nearer and nearer, Oosthuizen had a simple message to any negativity, stating: "At the end of the day, you want to put the strongest team together...
"He’s a very strong player and, I wouldn’t be surprised if, this year, he has a really good season just to show everyone why he should be here. I’m confident with our decision and I'm not going to listen to all the white noise.”
