Southern Guards GC opened the 2026 LIV Golf League season with a solid showing at Roshn Group LIV Golf Riyadh.
Branden Grace finished as the leading South African player in a week that marked several important milestones for the league.
Grace finished tied ninth on 17 under par after four rounds, capping his week with a bogey-free final round of eight-under 64 under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club. His performance helped Southern Guards GC to a tied eighth-place finish in the team standings at the season opener.
The Riyadh event was a tournament of firsts, not only the opening event of the 2026 season, but also the first LIV Golf tournament contested over a 72-hole format. It also marked the first time that all players finishing inside the top 10 (and ties) earned Official World Golf Ranking points, with Grace among those securing valuable points as a result.
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Grace’s consistency stood out for the all-South African team, while teammate Dean Burmester led the field in cumulative driving distance, averaging 313.8 yards across the four rounds, underlining the team’s competitive presence throughout the week.
“I’m very happy with my performance,” Grace said after the final round. “A top-10 finish is always a good result out here, so I’ll take that for the first tournament of the year. Team-wise, everyone was probably a little bit rusty, and playing golf at night is a different challenge, but it was a positive start.”
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The individual title was claimed by Elvis Smylie, who marked a memorable LIV Golf debut. Having officially joined Ripper GC just last month, Smylie carded a bogey-free eight-under 64 in the final round to finish one stroke clear of Jon Rahm.
Smylie also helped guide Ripper GC to the team title, as the Australians swept both trophies heading into their home event at LIV Golf Adelaide.
Southern Guards GC now turn their attention to LIV Golf Adelaide, where Grace and the team will look to build on the momentum from Riyadh as the season continues.
Photo: LIV Golf
Article Link: Grace leads Southern Guards' charge in Riyadh