South African golfer Louis Oosthuizen is out of the final round at LIV Golf Andalucia. The reason is a recurring setback that has been bothering him for over a decade.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be taking part in the final round of the LIV Golf League Andalucia due to a back injury preventing me from performing at my best.” “I will be replaced by the highly experienced Wade Ormsby,” Oosthuizen posted on X.

Before withdrawing, in the three rounds, Oosthuizen had carded par, 2-under, and 5-over. In the LIV Golf standings, he sits in 32nd position with 88.46 points. Anyways, Oosthuizen’s lower back is a well-documented running issue for him.

Tests carried out as far back as 2014 revealed disc problems at the L5 and S1 vertebrae. It is a chronic spinal condition that has flared up repeatedly throughout his career. He described it at the time as something that gets worse during extended stretches of golf and said his body would physically restrict him from committing to certain shots when the pain sets in. Back issues also forced him out of the 2021 RSM Classic.

Even at the 2022 Masters, he withdrew after shooting four-over 76 in the opening round. Though the reason was an undisclosed injury, during Thursday’s round, he was seen grabbing his back and neck.

Notably, this withdrawal isn’t even his first WD from LIV Golf because of back injuries. In 2024, at LIV Golf Houston, he carded a three-under in the first round, but the next day, he woke up with a back problem. He said that he won’t be able to walk around and swing.

LIV Golf Andalucia carries a $30 million purse with $20 million allotted to the individual competition and $10 million to the team prize. The event is being played at the Real Club Valderrama in Spain and is the ninth stop for the 2026 LIV Golf season. Oosthuizen has had a mixed record at Valderrama.

He finished T4 at LIV Golf Andalucia in 2024. It was one of the four top-10 finishes he recorded that season. His 2025 run at the same venue was far less kind, as he finished T45. Coming into this week, the golfer would have wanted to record a solid finish, given how his 2026 has gone so far.

In the 8 events he has played on LIV, he has recorded 3 top-20 finishes. His worst finish of the season so far is 42nd place in Virginia.

Now, Wade Ormsby will again play in place of Louis Oosthuizen, alongside teammates Dean Burmester, Branden Grace, and Charles Schwartzel.

Wade Ormsby Steps In at LIV Golf Andalucia

Wade Ormsby has served as LIV Golf’s go-to reserve across multiple seasons. The 46-year-old Australian was part of LIV Golf’s original 2022 roster before moving to a reserve role. He is a five-time Asian Tour winner and has earned his place in the league’s inaugural field.

This is notably not the first time Ormsby has specifically covered for Oosthuizen. He filled the same role at LIV Golf Houston in 2024, also stepping in after a back injury. His best results on the circuit came at LIV Golf London in 2022.

We wish a speedy recovery to Louis Oosthuizen.