After 13 years without a win, Richard Sterne completed one of the most emotional comebacks in Belgium. The 44-year-old South African claimed the title at a $2.75 million Soudal Open. After spending nearly seven years battling injuries and surgeries, Sterne reflected on the difficult journey that eventually led him back to the winner’s circle on Sunday.

“It’s been a tough ride, a lot of injuries, a lot of hard things that I’ve gone through, but to get back in the winner’s circle is quite unexpected, to be honest,” he told the media. “There were hard times. I didn’t think I was going to get through a lot of them. Three wrist ops, a disc replacement, and hip surgery. I’ve been through it all, so I’m pretty happy.”

Sterne turned professional in 2001 and quickly became one of South Africa’s most dangerous ball strikers. By 2008, he had won the Joburg Open, the Alfred Dunhill Championship, and the South African Open in a single calendar year. In fact, he reached a career-high world ranking of 29 that January. However, a serious back injury followed shortly after.

The golfer had to take a full season-long medical exemption from professional golf in 2011. After missing 11 months, Sterne returned in 2012 and competed at the Africa Open and finished sixth. Continuing his form, in February 2013, he won the Joburg Open wire-to-wire by seven strokes, ending a four-year winless stretch. That did look like a turning point, but it sadly was not.

Right after that, hip problems surfaced during the 2014 and 15 PGA Tour seasons. He had entered the following year on a minor medical extension, which gave him just three events to earn enough points to retain his card. However, he could not get there. His PGA Tour membership slipped away, and he had to withdraw from the 2014 U.S. Open.

Despite being in a weak form, he kept a record of entering the fields, traveling, and trying to make the cuts. On the Korn Ferry Tour, he held a three-shot lead with four holes to play at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. He then bogeyed three consecutive holes, fell into a tie with Thomas Young, but lost in a sudden-death playoff.

With this, Sterne had to face another surgery for his wrist in March 2020, and it kept him out for most of the year. When he returned the following season, he opened the 2021 Dubai Desert Classic with an 8-under 64. However, he could not hold it through the weekend and did not win.

Since then, Richard Sterne has spent years rebuilding his game, working on his body back. He got married in 2009, and his wife, Lisa Marie, and their two daughters, Mari and Anna Joy, were his support during his hard time.

Coming into the Soudal Open this week, Sterne had missed three consecutive cuts on the DP World Tour. He opened with a bogey-free 64, picking up birdies at 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, and 17. He stayed patient through rounds two and three, carding 68 and 68. But it was 5 under on Sunday that helped him seal the deal. This was his seventh DP World Tour title. He finished 18 under par.

“It’s about time I did something half decent around in golf,” he said. “I’m pretty pleased. I’ve been working hard, and it’s nice to see some progress.”

“I thought I was still behind. I thought Xander was still under 19. I wasn’t really looking at leaderboards, to be honest. I had a 5-wood in my bag. It was 276 yards, and I needed to hit a little draw to get the distance. It just came out as good as I could, three or four feet away. One of the best shots I’ve hit. I thought I was the one playing the last, but then I got to the 18th green, and I had a look at the board and was quite surprised.”

Richard Sterne has joined the list of golfers who closed a big chapter in 2026.

Anthony Kim understands what Richard Sterne went through

In February 2026, Anthony Kim won the LIV Golf at Adelaide for his first victory in nearly 16 years. He had walked away from professional golf in 2012 after tearing his Achilles tendon, and in the years that followed, he had to undergo surgeries. It forced him to completely disappear from the game, and in that time frame, he also battled addiction and mental health issues that he has since spoken about openly.

When Kim returned to golf in 2024, he did not compete for wins. He finished outside the top 30 in every event that season. In 2025, his results were even worse. He was relegated from the league and had to qualify his way back through LIV’s promotions event just to get a spot on the roster. And he earned it. He then went to Adelaide and shot a final round of 63 to beat Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau by three shots.

Within seconds of his win, he was embraced by his wife Emily and his young daughter Bella.

“God gave me talent. I knew this was going to happen. Nobody else had to believe in me but me,” he said afterwards.