LIV Golf 2026 Season Player Preview: Branden Grace

The 2026 LIV Golf season starts in February under the lights in Riyadh, and in the next few months, we’ll take a detailed look at each player competing next season. Next up is an original member of Southern Guards GC, Branden Grace.  

LOOKING AHEAD

Like his three South African teammates, the 2026 season promises to be a landmark one for Grace, with Southern Guards GC taking center stage at LIV Golf's historic debut event on African soil. Entering the year fully healthy and riding the wave of a scorching hot finish from late 2025, Grace has a prime opportunity to cement his status in the league with another strong season for his team. 

LOOKING BACK

Grace delivered one of the most inspirational comeback stories of the 2025 LIV Golf season. After landing in the Drop Zone in 2024 and earning a second chance through re-signing, the experienced South African knew the pressure was on and there would be no more lifelines if he underperformed again. Despite a sluggish start to the year hampered by a nagging wrist injury, Grace suddenly found his groove and surged through the back half of the season, finishing in the top 5 in three of his final four individual starts. The flurry of impressive performances was spurred by a resurgent putter. After losing strokes putting in his five of his first six starts of the year, he gained strokes in the category in six consecutive events to end the season. His impressive late season charge pulled him safely clear of relegation and reasonably close to the Lock Zone.

WHAT THE STATS SAY

Strengths: Grace ranked 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach in 2025, gaining 0.25 strokes per round. He thrived primarily in the 150-225 range, where he ranked 12th in the league. He had a putting breakthrough in the second half of the season when he gained strokes on the greens in six consecutive events to end the year. 

Weaknesses: Grace’s biggest weakness in 2025 was his ability to score efficiently on a consistent basis. Only 19% of the South African’s rounds were under par, which put him in the bottom fourth of the league.

Grace struggled with the driver throughout the season. He ranked 36th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, losing 0.17 strokes per round. He was neither long (304.4) nor reliably accurate (57.7%) relative to the field. 

CAREER RESULTS

LIV GOLF REGULAR SEASON 

Year     Team          Starts     Rounds     1st     2nd     3rd     Total Top 10 

2022     Stinger       7             19               1        0          1        2 

2023     Stinger       13           39              0        2          1        5 

2024     Stinger       13           39              0        0          0        0 

2025     Stinger       12           36              0        0          0        3 

Total                          45          133             1         2          2        10

TOTAL TROPHIES WON (5) 

Individual Regular Season wins: 1
Team Regular Season wins: 3
Individual Championship: 1
Team Championship: 0 

LIV GOLF CAREER SCORING 

Stroke Average Total: 69.92
Round 1 Average: 70.47
Round 2 Average: 69.77
Round 3 Average: 69.52 

Lowest Round: 61 

BOTTOM LINE

If Grace can maintain his form from the second half of 2025 throughout the season in 2026, he should challenge for a spot in the coveted Lock Zone. Entering last season, the veteran was debating wrist surgery, which slowed down his offseason training. Now fully healthy, Grace has the experience and motivation to perform well both individually and as a key cog for an always-competitive Southern Guards GC squad.