Louis Oosthuizen Facts: 20 Things You Didn't Know About The LIV Golfer

Louis Oosthuizen is one of the greatest players South Africa has ever produced, with countless high points in a career that has been as varied as it has been successful.

Here are 20 things you may not know about the LIV Golf player.

Louis Ousthuizen Facts

1. His full name is Lodewicus Theodorus Oosthuizen and he was born on 19 October 1982 in Mossel Bay, South Africa and grew up on a farm - a passion he still has today.

2. At the start of his golf career he was a part of the Ernie Els Foundation, which gave him financial and educational assistance as well as playing opportunities.

3. That grounding was apparently a big help because as an amateur Oosthuizen won numerous titles including the 2000 World Junior Championship.

4. As a youngster, Oosthuizen was friends with Charl Schwartzel. Nowadays, they are on the same LIV Golf team - Stinger GC.

5. At the age of 19, Oosthuizen shot 57 at his local course, Mossel Bay Golf Club in South Africa.

6. Oosthuizen turned professional in 2002, initially joining the Sunshine Tour, with his first win coming at the Vodacom Origins of Golf at Arabella in 2004.

7. The same year, he joined the European Tour (now the DP World Tour), and won for the first time on it in the 2010 Open de Andalucia de Golf.

8. Oosthuizen claimed his one Major title to date at the 2010 Open at the Old Course, which he largely dominated to win by seven shots.

9. That made him only the fourth South African, after Bobby Locke, Gary Player and Ernie Els, to claim the Claret Jug.

10. After the tournament, Louis explained a red dot marked on his glove helped him focus during his pre-shot routine.

11. After the win, the first thing he bought with the prize money was a tractor for his farm in South Africa.

12. He has since gone onto finish runner-up in all four Majors, but without winning another title.

13. In one of those near-misses, Oosthuizen became only the fourth player to shoot an albatross at a Major during the 2012 Masters at Augusta National. It was the first to be televised.

14. His highest world ranking is fourth, which he earned back in 2013 after victory at the Volvo Golf Champions.

15. In 2022, Oosthuizen became one of the initial intake of players to LIV Golf in time for its inaugural event at the Centurion Club.

16. Oosthuizen owns his own wine company.

17. In his free time he likes to hunt and watch the Cape Town-based Stormers rugby team and the Springboks.

18. His friends nicknamed him "Shrek" due to his trademark gap between his top front teeth and he once had a Shrek head cover - until his caddie threw it away as he thought it brought bad luck!

19. He is also a golf course designer and one of the ones he co-designed is Heritage La Reserve Golf Club, where the Mauritius Open in 2023 was held. Oosthuizen played in the tournament and claimed his 11th DP World Tour win there.

20. He knew his wife, Nel-Mare, as a youngster and they married in 2007.

Louis Oosthuizen Bio

Louis Oosthuizen Pro Wins