Instead of revelling on the 18th green along with tens of thousands of their countrymen in what surely would’ve been the most raucous golf celebration this sporting nation has ever produced, the four members of the all-South African team Southern Guards GC stood together on the nearby first tee, having made their way through the tunnel in the stands that connected the two holes.

The distance was somewhere around 100 feet, but it likely felt 1,000 miles away, a heartbreaking reminder that golf must balance its storybook finishes with cruel disappointment.

There were no champagne bottles to pop for Louis Oosthuizen , Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Dean Burmester, the four South Africans who poured so much energy and emotion into making LIV Golf’s first visit to their homeland a success, only to come up one shot short of forcing a playoff for the team title.

The Crushers GC staged a remarkable comeback in the rain to deny the Southern Guards the team title at the first-ever LIV Golf event in South Africa.

When it rains it pours: there was neither the fairytale individual win for Dean Burmester or Branden Grace and the team title was also ripped from their grasps late on Sunday.

Torrential rain made for brilliant viewing. It made for difficult playing conditions. And it also played its part in ending the dream run for the Southern Guards.

The crowds were not moved from their vantage points but saw very few putts drop for their favourite local stars in the last few holes of what was a sensational tournament.

Instead, it was some great par saves from Bryson DeChambeau and some superb birdies from Anibarn Lahiri, Paul Casey and Charles Howell III.

Grace and Burmester started like lightning with the latter four under through four. It saw both South Africans join DeChambeau at the top of the standings.

It moved the Southern Guards well clear with some calling it a run race as the home side moved nine shots clear. Then it all changed.

DeChambeau started to make some putts, the birdies dried up and then the rain came.

As the putts continued to avoid the hole for the South Africans, they seemingly all started to drop for the Crushers. On repeat.

The gap was closing by the minute before Lahiri started to find his form.

The final two holes saw Crushers move one clear and when DeChambeau survived with pars on 16 and 18, it left Grace as the lone hope for the Southern Guards. His wedge into the 72nd hole was a few yards short leaving him with a lengthy birdie try.

As the chorus of the national anthem rang out, he composed himself and then just missed the putt to allow DeChambeau and his team the win as the captain went into a playoff with Jon Rahm.