LIV Golf’s troubled attempts to relaunch under new financial backing have taken another significant hit as Louis Oosthuizen becomes the fourth team captain to walk away from the circuit.
The former Open champion has skippered the South African-themed Southern Guards GC since LIV Golf launched in 2022, but has now joined a growing list of high-profile departures ahead of a player commitment deadline this week.
Oosthuizen follows Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm and Fireballs skipper Sergio Garcia in walking away from the embattled circuit as it attempts to reshape itself for a new era.
Brooks Koepka stepped down as Smash GC captain after the 2025 season, while Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann, one of the most prolific winners on the tour, is also widely expected to leave.
Oosthuizen said: “Five years ago, I made one of the best decisions of my life, moving away from the traditional golf world and into something very special with LIV Golf and Southern Guards GC.”
He cited scheduling concerns as the primary driver behind his decision, pointing to the difficulties of maintaining competitive sharpness under the proposed LIV Golf 2.0 format.
Oosthuizen said: “My biggest fear was that the schedule on LIV 2.0 would be tough to manage. I feel I have a few more years of good, competitive golf left in me, and the only way to be really sharp and competitive is through a schedule I control.”
Despite his departure, Oosthuizen was clear about his emotional connection to the team he has led throughout his time on the circuit.
He said: “Southern Guards is my team. It always has been and always will be. This is probably the hardest decision I’ve had to make in my career, but I have to do what I believe is right for my golf.”
Oosthuizen is set to rejoin the DP World Tour, which confirmed this month it would not grant membership to players who also competed in LIV Golf, effectively closing the door to Ryder Cup qualification for any Europeans who remained.
LIV Golf has secured backing from BC Partners to exit bankruptcy proceedings in both the US and UK, as it looks to continue operating without the substantial financial support previously provided by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
The circuit set a Sunday deadline for players to formally commit to its future, though it is understood the deadline could yet be extended to allow further negotiations.
Among those who have not yet declared their intentions are Englishmen Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, both of whom face significant decisions about their competitive futures in the coming days.
The wave of departures raises serious questions about the viability of LIV Golf’s next chapter, with the loss of multiple founding captains stripping the league of much of its original star power and identity.