LIV Golf star called 'disgusting' for comments which also impact Bryson DeChambeau

Branden Grace has faced backlash after criticising the Olympics qualification system. He reckons his fellow LIV Golf stars Dean Burmester and Louis Oosthuizen should be representing their native South Africa in Paris.

However, those playing on the Saudi Arabia-backed tour are limited in their Official World Golf Ranking, as they don’t sanction LIV events. Consequently, PGA Tour members Christiaan Bezuidenhout, ranked 40th, and Erik van Rooyen, in 67th, have made the two-man cut instead.

It’s also meant newly-crowned US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau hasn’t been selected for the four-strong Team USA despite his second career major triumph, with Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa all above him in 10th.

Speaking in defence of world No.114 Bumester and world No.138 Oosthuizen, Grace argued ahead of LIV Golf Nashville: “These are the two guys that should be representing South Africa out there this year, just by what they've won, what they've played, where they've played, how they've performed, and not just in the last five months, but probably the last year or so, if not longer.

"I think that maybe each country should pick or try to get their own solution on how they get the criteria right for guys to qualify, things like that. It's definitely a way forward.

“But the system at this stage, that's not very accurate. We all know that. We all talk about it, week-in and week-out, but these should be the two guys probably representing South Africa out there."

It’s safe to say there was little sympathy heading their way from fans, with one slamming: "The entitlement by LIV players is disgusting.” Another responded: “Should have thought about that before you jumped ship!”

A third sarcastically quipped: "Sounds like they should have planned a schedule that would help them qualify. Sucks to be them." And a fourth commented: “It’s amazing these guys are so upset with this… when they were told this was going to happen if they went to LIV.”

While a fifth fumed: “Broken record interviews. Same s*** over and over and over. Missing out on things they ALL KNEW they'd miss out on. It's exhausting.”

It was also pointed out Oosthuizen qualified for the Olympics in Tokyo four years ago but opted to pull out from competing. “I’m probably the wrong person to talk to,” he admitted following Grace’s statement.

“I grew up with the four majors being your main events, and I don’t really see the fit of professional golfers playing golf in the Olympics. Looking back at that, I think it would be a nice thing to have on your CV that you could have represented your country.

“The system is what it is. I think we’re all higher up on the world ranking than we are right now, or we should be. But I hope the boys play well and that they perform well, and it’s still going to be a strong South African team playing.”

Burmester was also more reserved than Grace in his judgement, echoing Oosthuizen’s sentiment of wishing Bezuidenhout and Van Rooyen well and attempting to make light of the situation with some humour.

He said: “Christiaan and Erik are going to do South Africa proud, and they’ve also played some great golf in their own right, which is something. But to comment on that, I think Louis and I definitely look like Olympians, first of all. Just got a really bad paint job.

"But we’d fit in there, I think, us and the swimmers and the 100-meter runners. But yeah, it would be an honour obviously to go to the Olympics and represent your country. I think it’s basically the field we have, and those two guys are going to have that opportunity, so it’s super special, and we can only wish them well.”