Bryson DeChambeau is the hottest golfer in the world going into the Masters. Is it his time to finally slide on the green jacket?
DeChambeau took down Jon Rahm on the first playoff hole Sunday to win 2026 LIV Golf South Africa, his second straight win, in his final start before heading down Magnolia Lane in a little more than two week’s time. DeChambeau, the two-time U.S. Open champion, hit a brilliant shot into the par-5 18th in the playoff to set up a two-putt birdie, enough to topple Rahm and win LIV’s inaugural event in South Africa.
And after sinking his winning putt, DeChambeau was overcome with emotion unlike anything he has shown in the past.
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“A lot has happened in my last in the past week,” DeChambeau said. “I’m just so grateful for my team, the Crushers, everybody supporting me. It’s so funny, golf is a fickle game, and you work so hard at it your whole entire life, and you realize that golf is just golf and there’s a lot more to life than just golf.
“I had some things happen in the off time during this week, and I was just praying all day, praying to give me the perseverance to move forward and keep looking forward.”
DeChambeau would go on to call South Africa the best event LIV Golf has ever had. The league’s third time playing in as many weeks, the event at The Club at Steyn City will host LIV again from April 22-25, 2027, it was announced Sunday.
Rahm shot 8-under 63 on Sunday to vault to 26 under and tie DeChambeau, who was unable to get up and down from a bunker for birdie on the closing hole to win in regulation. DeChambeau carded a bogey-free 6-under 66 in the final round, continuing a trend of stellar golf leading into the year’s first major.
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Last week, DeChambeau won in a playoff after his opponent, Richard T. Lee, missed a 2 footer to extend. This week, his brilliant 3-wood stole the title from Rahm.
Legion XIII’s Spanish player Jon Rahm (R) congratulates Crushers GC’s US player Bryson Dechambeau (L) after winning the playoff and the LIV Golf South Africa tournament on the fourth day at The Club in Steyn City on March 22, 2026.
“Had to be done. Jon, there was a very good chance I thought he was going to stiff it,” DeChambeau said. “That 3-wood in there, I thought he was going to stiff it. I was fortunate enough to get a good lie. It was muddy, so I’m trying to aim over there, worst case scenario, and I just pulled it again and I knew I’d be OK and get somewhat of a lie. I got a great lie, I dropped it, and I got to place it, luckily, and then had a perfect lie and striped it to the middle of the green, and it fed right over to 12 feet, and I was not going to leave myself a three-footer on that one.”
LIV Golf’s next event comes the week after the Masters in Mexico City at Chapultepec.
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This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Bryson DeChambeau beats Rahm in playoff, wins LIV Golf South Africa
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