Branden Grace Leaves LIV Golf, Returning to DP World Tour

Branden Grace is leaving LIV Golf for a return to the DP World Tour next season, becoming the latest player to step away from the league's planned 2.0 relaunch.

The 38-year-old South African's exit follows his countryman and Southern Guards GC teammate Louis Oosthuizen, who announced his own departure Wednesday. Ian Poulter confirmed he was leaving just hours before Grace's announcement.

Why are players leaving LIV Golf?

LIV commissioner Scott O'Neil faces an Oct. 25 deadline to lock in enough players to secure a $300 million investment from BC Partners Credit for LIV 2.0, a planned 10-event global schedule for 2027. Jon Rahm, Thomas Pieters, Charles Howell III, David Puig and Abraham Ancer have already ruled themselves out, and Southern Guards GC is now down to just Charl Schwartzel and Dean Burmester.

What does Grace's LIV record look like?

Grace was among LIV's original 2022 signees and earned $38 million during his time with the league, 10th on its all-time earnings list. A nine-time DP World Tour winner, he was the first player to card a 62 in a major championship round, at the 2017 Open Championship.

Returning to the DP World Tour feels like coming home.

Grace pointed to his 2012 breakthrough season, when he won four times, and his victory at the Investec South African Open in front of home fans as among his proudest moments on the tour.

The Southern Guards roster, once five players strong, now counts just Schwartzel and Burmester as LIV's Sunday deadline approaches.