Bryson DeChambeau to join Nedbank Challenge field after LIV Golf collapse

The breakaway tour's closure was confirmed last week after it failed to secure the funding required to continue operations into the 2027 season.

In a statement posted on social media on Sunday, DeChambeau said he was excited to return to South Africa and grateful for the support he received from local fans during his previous visit to the country at last year's LIV Golf event at Steyn City.

It was hoped the Steyn City event would continue for many years to come, but LIV's loss is Sun City's gain, as the Nedbank Golf Challenge welcomes one of the biggest names in world golf for its latest edition.

"In December, I'll compete at the Nedbank Golf Challenge, Gary Player's event, in front of fans who made my first visit to South Africa unforgettable. Beyond that, I'll go about whatever is next the right way," DeChambeau said.

"My passion has been to grow this game. That's still the goal. Thank you for sticking with me.

"Together we can all grow this great game we love."

In his first statement following the news of LIV Golf's closure, DeChambeau defended his decision to join the upstart tour and embrace the team golf format.

"I'm not going to rewrite the last four years," he wrote.

"I made a decision I believed in, and I'm grateful for what came with it: playing in front of fans new and old around the world who rarely got to see the best players at home. The record crowds in Adelaide and Johannesburg will stick with me for the rest of my life.

"I believed this game could reach more people, in more places, in a new way. I still believe that. And I gave it everything I had to keep team golf alive.

"I still believe in team golf. It may look different in the future, but I still believe it's essential to growing the game."

DeChambeau must serve at least a one-year suspension before being able to return to the PGA Tour, while he faces a November 15 deadline to declare his intention to become a DP World Tour member next year.

"Whatever comes next, I'll approach it with humility and respect for the people who carried this game long before me," he added.

The Nedbank Golf Challenge takes place from 3 to 6 December at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.

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