What Happened to Charl Adriaan Schwartzel?
Charl Schwartzel is a South African professional golfer best known for winning the 2011 Masters Tournament. After a successful career on the PGA and European Tours, he joined the LIV Golf Invitational Series in 2022, winning its inaugural event. He continues to compete on the LIV Golf circuit as captain of Southern Guards GC, and in August 2026, he gained global attention for a bizarre incident where a fish swallowed his golf ball during a tournament.
Quick Answer
Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, currently plays on the LIV Golf Invitational Series, where he was the winner of the inaugural event in June 2022. He is the captain of the Southern Guards GC team. As of August 2026, he continues to compete in LIV Golf tournaments, and recently made headlines for a peculiar incident at LIV Golf Bedminster where a fish swallowed his ball in a water hazard.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline14 events
Turns Professional
Charl Schwartzel begins his professional golf career.
First European Tour Win
Schwartzel secures his first victory on the European Tour at the Dunhill Championship.
Wins The Masters Tournament
Schwartzel wins his first major championship, the 75th Masters, with a final-round 66, including four consecutive birdies to close.
Achieves Career-High World Ranking
Schwartzel reaches his highest Official World Golf Ranking, climbing to number six.
Wins Valspar Championship
Schwartzel claims his second PGA Tour victory at the Valspar Championship in a sudden-death playoff.
Announces Move to LIV Golf
It is revealed that Schwartzel will participate in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event.
Suspended by PGA Tour
Schwartzel, along with 16 other golfers, is suspended by the PGA Tour after resigning his membership to join LIV Golf.
Wins Inaugural LIV Golf Event
Schwartzel wins the first-ever LIV Golf tournament, the LIV Golf Invitational London, by one stroke.
Wife Rosalind Diagnosed with Cancer
Charl Schwartzel's wife, Rosalind, is diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, leading to support from the LIV Golf community.
Strong LIV Golf Finishes
Schwartzel records a T2 finish in Jeddah and a T3 finish in Adelaide on the LIV Golf circuit.
Leads LIV Golf in Putting and Team Win
Schwartzel has a strong 2025 LIV Golf season, leading the league in Strokes Gained: Putting and contributing to a Stinger GC team victory at LIV Golf Chicago.
Competes in 2026 Masters
Schwartzel makes his 17th Masters start, finishing in 54th place at 12-over par.
Captains Southern Guards at LIV Golf New York
Schwartzel captains the Southern Guards GC team at LIV Golf New York, with teammate Louis Oosthuizen absent due to injury.
Bizarre Fish Incident at LIV Golf Bedminster
During the final round of LIV Golf Bedminster, Schwartzel's ball is swallowed by a fish in a water hazard, resulting in a one-stroke penalty.
Follow this story
Get an email when this timeline gets a major update.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Charl Adriaan Schwartzel, born August 31, 1984, in Johannesburg, South Africa, turned professional in 2002 and quickly established himself on the European Tour, securing his first victory at the Dunhill Championship in 2004. His career reached its pinnacle in April 2011 when he won the 75th Masters Tournament, carding a final-round 66 that included four consecutive birdies on the last four holes to secure a two-stroke victory over Jason Day and Adam Scott. This historic win made him the third South African to don the green jacket, 50 years after Gary Player's first Masters triumph.
Following his Masters victory, Schwartzel continued to achieve success on the PGA Tour, including a notable win at the Valspar Championship in March 2016, his second PGA Tour title. He maintained a strong presence in major championships and achieved a career-high world ranking of number six in March 2012.
A significant turning point in Schwartzel's career came in May 2022 when he announced his participation in the newly formed Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series. This decision led to his resignation from the PGA Tour, and he was subsequently suspended by the tour in June 2022, making him ineligible for PGA Tour events and the Presidents Cup. Schwartzel made an immediate impact on the new circuit, winning the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational London event in June 2022, earning a substantial prize.
Since joining LIV Golf, Schwartzel has been a consistent competitor, captaining the all-South African team, Southern Guards GC (also referred to as Stinger GC in 2025). In 2024, he achieved strong individual finishes, including a tied-second place in Jeddah and a tied-third place in Adelaide. The 2025 season saw him finish within the 'Lock Zone' (top-24) of the individual standings, largely due to his exceptional putting, where he led the league in Strokes Gained: Putting, and contributed to a Stinger GC team victory at LIV Golf Chicago.
In early 2024, the LIV Golf community rallied around Schwartzel and his wife, Rosalind, following her diagnosis with triple-negative breast cancer. As of August 2026, Schwartzel continues to be an active player on the LIV Golf circuit. He participated in the 2026 Masters Tournament in April, finishing 54th. Most recently, in August 2026, during the final round of LIV Golf Bedminster, Schwartzel encountered a highly unusual hazard when a fish appeared to swallow his ball after it rolled into a pond, forcing him to take a one-stroke penalty.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Charl Adriaan Schwartzel made different choices?