Major champion makes feelings clear on future of LIV Golf after quitting PGA Tour

LIV Golf's future appears bleak with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund set to withdraw funding, but one team captain has issued a defiant message about the health of the league

Louis Oosthuizen insists he is "very positive" about LIV Golf's future despite mounting uncertainty over the breakaway league's funding.

The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which has bankrolled LIV since its launch in 2022, is set to withdraw funding at the end of the season, leaving the league searching for new investors to keep operating.

The league's CEO, Scott O'Neil, issued a defiant message to staff at last week's event in Mexico City, insisting this season continues at "full throttle," but his predecessor, Greg Norman, has his doubts about whether he will be able to secure the kind of investment needed to keep LIV running.

READ MORE : Greg Norman sends frank message to Bryson DeChambeau over LIV Golf futureREAD MORE : Greg Norman admits Rory McIlroy regret after public LIV Golf feud

Oosthuizen, the 2010 Open champion and captain of the South Africa-based Southern Guards team, has pledged his support for O'Neil and he believes LIV can emerge "bigger and better."

"From starting five years ago, we've always been in the bad side of media," he said in a video posted on social media by the Southern Guards.

"We've always had to take all the hard punches and everyone telling us we're done and dusted in a few months or something. So it's nothing new for us to go through all of this.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive interviews with Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia and more

"But as players, we are very positive. We are very happy with Scott leading us going forward. And we're excited for 2027 as the Southern Guard team. And can't wait to start new relationships with new sponsors and just make next year even bigger and better."

Oosthuizen says he has grand plans for the Southern Guards, who were given a hero's welcome when LIV debuted in South Africa last month, and his ambitions for the team stretch beyond his retirement from playing.

"Five years from now, I want to be involved still," he said. "I don't think I'll be playing still. I'll probably be involved somehow. But I would love for any young South African good prodigy coming through that wants to become a Southern Guard to be on the team.

"Obviously, Dean [Burmester] and Branden [Grace] are the youngsters on our team. I don't know where me and Charl [Schwartzel] will be in five years' time.

"But I think the brand and the team can just get bigger and better, especially in South Africa. And the goal is to be known as the South African golf team. People look at the Springboks [national rugby team], and the Proteas [national cricket team], and Bafana Bafana [national soccer team].

"We want to be that for South Africa as the golf team. Hopefully, we can encourage youngsters to want to be a Southern Guard team member one day."

Click here to read article