Steyn City suits Bryson Bryson DeChambeau ( below ), team leader of the Crushers, can also be expected to use his driver regularly at Steyn City. In his first appearance in South Africa, at altitude where shots travel so much further, he is sure to bomb some colossal drives and will be a favourite with the galleries. There are at least two par 4s where Bryson can be
Gates open at 9.30, and there will be five general access hubs around the course with food, beverages, and ablutions. There is a Kids Zone (children under 12 gain free access if accompanying a ticket holder) with family-friendly activities and interac- tive games. Giant video screens will be broadcasting the golf. LIV Golf South Africa have enlisted over 500 marshalls and volunteers to assist with crowd management. CONCERT PROGRAMME Thursday: The Saxby Twins and Lordkez. Friday: Black Coffee. Saturday: St Lucia and Calvin Harris. Sunday: Goldfish. WORLD GOLF AWARDS LIV Golf Adelaide, to be played in February, celebrated a hat-trick of triumphs when named Best Golf Event in the World in 2025, following 2023 and 2024. LIV PREFERRED TO MASTERS One of LIV’s new signings, Michael La Sasso, 21, has forfeited both his college career and a Masters exemption to join Phil Mickelson’s HiFlyers team for 2026. La Sasso won the 2025 NCAA individual title which earned him a place in the Masters, but only if he remained an amateur. He makes his professional debut at LIV Golf Riyadh in February. major champions like DeChambeau and Jon Rahm will be heavily fancied to capture individual honours. DeCham- beau’s solitary LIV victory in 2025 came on a Jack Nicklaus course in South Ko- rea. He provided a masterclass perfor- mance, 19-under over 54 holes. Rahm didn’t win a tournament in 2025, but still clinched the individual LIV Championship for a second con- secutive year, edging out 5-time win- ner Joaquin Niemann by the narrowest of margins in their season-long tussle. The two of them have engaged in a tre- mendous rivalry the past two seasons.
expected to go for the green, the riskier of those being Steyn City’s 11th (No 5 in the tournament) which is 330 metres to a green guarded in front by a large hazard which leaves little margin for error. It will likely be played from a for- ward tee to encourage more players to chance the carry over water. On a course which can be stretched to almost 7 100 metres (7 765 yards),
Fan village & Party hole Rounds begin with a shotgun start at 12.05 each day. That means a group of three players on each of the 18 tees, and one extra group who will follow them. The adapted routing for the first LIV tournament in South Africa sees Steyn City’s downhill par-4 seventh become the opening hole. It’s 380 metres from the back tee, yet there is such a steep drop in elevation from tee to green that many players will attempt to drive the green, particularly if played from a forward tee at 350. There are fairway bunkers to carry short of the green, while a stream runs to the left of the bunkers. The fan village is being built along- side the first hole, and above the
par-5 18th, which is No 6 on the club scorecard. This is a brute of a hole which can be stretched to 595 metres, and the drive must carry a significant rise to reach the fairway. The only grandstand is at 18, while there will be elevated standing platforms on the first tee. Every LIV event has a “Party Hole,” and at Steyn City this will be the par-3 17th, which is the club’s fifth. This will play between 170 and 200 metres to an undulating green fronted by a water hazard. It has been named “The Lion’s Den” and can host upwards of 4 000 fans from tee to green. All ticket holders are invited to at- tend the end-of-day concerts, starting at about 5pm.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 63
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026
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