This previous Monday, the Worldwide Golf Federation launched the golfers who will characterize their dwelling international locations on the 2024 Olympics in Paris later this summer time. That checklist consists of seven LIV Golf gamers who will characterize their nations.
Then, on Thursday, forward of the LIV Golf Nashville occasion, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, and Dean Burmester—all South African gamers—detailed what it felt like to not make the South African Olympic group. PGA Tour gamers Erik van Rooyen and Christiaan Bezuidenhout will characterize the nation as an alternative.
Grace felt strongly that the Olympic committee received it improper.
“These are the 2 guys [Burmester and Oosthuizen] that ought to be representing South Africa this 12 months,” Grace mentioned forward of the Nashville match.
“I feel that’s possibly a very good name for every nation to choose or attempt to get their very own resolution on how they get the standards proper for guys to qualify. However the system at this stage is just not very correct. Everyone knows that. All of us discuss it, week in and week out, however these ought to be the 2 guys in all probability representing South Africa.”
Burmester received his first LIV Golf title in Miami earlier this 12 months. To not point out, he has three different top-10 finishes. The worst efficiency got here at LIV Las Vegas, however for essentially the most half, he has performed properly.
On the two main championships, Burmester tied for twelfth on the PGA Championship. He then captured 69th place on the U.S. Open final week.
Oosthuizen, in the meantime, has two runner-up finishes this 12 months at LIV Adelaide and LIV Jeddah. Two extra top-10s adopted swimsuit at Mayakoba and Miami. Whereas he has been profitable, the Olympics aren’t excessive on his radar.
“I grew up with the 4 majors being your most important occasions, and I don’t actually see the match {of professional} golfers enjoying golf within the Olympics,” Oosthuizen mentioned.
“I had the chance to go to one of many Olympics and pulled out on the finish. It was extra getting scheduling-wise getting every thing—I feel it was near a serious, and that was my most important focus all the time, majors, so the Olympics didn’t match into my schedule that 12 months.”
Oothusizen represented his nation on the World Cup and within the Presidents Cup earlier than, so lacking the Olympics is just not an enormous deal to him. No matter tour affiliation, he wished the 2 members good luck.
“I hope the boys play properly and that they carry out properly, and it’s nonetheless going to be a robust South African group enjoying,” Oosthuizen mentioned.
Burmester adopted swimsuit, praising van Rooyen and Bezuidenhout for his or her performances. Van Rooyen has one runner-up end, three prime 10s, and 7 prime 25s. As for Bezuidenhout, he has second place on the American Specific. He additionally has three prime 10s and 9 prime 25s. Bezuidenhout was solo fourth at The Memorial in certainly one of his most up-to-date begins.
“Christiaan and Erik are going to do South Africa proud, and so they’ve additionally performed some nice golf in their very own proper,” Burmester mentioned.
“I feel Louis and I appear like Olympians, to begin with,” Burmester mentioned. “It could be an honor to go to the Olympics and characterize your nation. I feel it’s the sphere we’ve, and people two guys are going to have that chance, so it’s tremendous particular, and we are able to solely want them properly.”
Taking the excessive highway and wishing two of their fellow South Africans luck in Paris is the right technique to deal with it. Whereas they didn’t get chosen to play within the Olympics, it appears they perceive why.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. For extra golf protection, observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You may also observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
