The team, consisting of captain Louis Oosthuizen, Dean Burmester, Branden Grace, and Charl Schwartzel, reached the final of the winner-takes-all Team Championship. The South Africans fell behind and weren’t able to fight their way back to claim the crown, but still flew the flag high with their best-ever finish.

Legion XIII, led by former world number one Jon Rahm, won the playoff over Crushers GC, which the long-hitting Bryson DeChambeau spearheaded.

Legion XIII being crowned champions. Photo: Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf

Heading into the final few rounds, Stinger GC were as far down as seventh, but they found their groove towards the end of the season, putting themselves in contention for the title.

Burmester, the former Bloemfontein professional who won the Chicago individual event, described the season as “up-and-down,” but said finishing strongly made it all the more special.

“We were kind of having the most average season you could imagine,” said Burmester.

“We finished 8th, 7th, 8th, 7th, 6th throughout the season, and then to finish it off like that with a third at JCB, a win in Chicago, and then to make it all the way into the final here at the team event is really special.”

Burmester added that the final day was tough for the team, especially with captain Oosthuizen struggling with a stiff back, but he praised the former Open Championship winner’s fighting spirit.

“I think it was a tale of two nines. Louis, unfortunately, woke up with a really stiff back, which doesn’t help,” Burmester said.

“It kind of started towards the latter part of yesterday’s round. But that’s just the human body – it doesn’t function like a machine. He fought really hard for us today and got an even par. We were right in it with nine holes to go, and then the other two teams basically broke away 20 under par. Collectively for two teams, it’s an amazing score on a blustery, windy day.”

Branden Grace. Photo: Mateo Villalba/LIV Golf

The next season tees off on 5 February 2026 in Saudi Arabia with LIV Golf Riyadh. For Stinger GC, however, the excitement is building for the fourth event, which will be historic: the rebel series heads to South Africa for the first time, with LIV Golf South Africa set to be played at Steyn City in Johannesburg from 20-22 March.

Burmester said this is all the team is talking about as a collective.

“I mean, we are day and night talking about this event and what it can bring, what it can do for South African golf, and how excited everyone is – staff, players, everyone,” said the former South African Open champion.

“We’re going to go flat out, put on a proper South African show, and hopefully bring one of the biggest LIV events in the world home.”

Burmester was the highest-placed South African in the individual standings, finishing fifth behind Rahm (Legion XIII), Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC), DeChambeau (Crushers GC), and Sebastian Muñoz (Torque GC).

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cvs