Burmester runs up the Chicago Heat, Three Share Team Lead

Dean Burmester from Stinger GC is a approach to hole 12 during a bogey-free 65 that gave him in the solo lead after the second round in Liv Golf Chicago on Saturday. Image Courtesy Liv Golf.

A correspondent

Bolingbrook, Illinois: The South African Dean Burmester takes a lead from two branch on its way to the last round of Sunday in Liv Golf Chicago.

He plays in the last group with Jon Rahm, a double big winner, and Josele Ballester, the super talented 21-year-old who became a professional in June to become a member of Liv Golf. Both come from Spain.

“I will have to freshen up my Spanish,” Burmester smiled after completing a brilliant 6 under 65 who brought him to 9 after two rounds at Bolingbrook Golf Club.

Legion XIII Captain Rahm is not only the intention to conquer his first individual victory of the season, but also to catch up with the couple GC GC captain Joaquin Niemann in the individual classification.

On the way to the regular season finale of next week in Indianapolis, Niemann, tied up for 39th to two rounds, opened the door.

“It doesn’t matter if I win, I will have a real opportunity to catch him and possibly pass him next week,” said Rahm after shooting a 4 under 67 to move to 7.

Two halves

Rahm bounced back from a few bogeys in his first 10 holes to fall 6 in his last eight holes. “In terms of score, it is almost a story of two nines,” he said, “but in terms of feeling it felt great all day.”

In the meantime, Ballester would like to make an early explanation in his career. He only plays his fifth Liv Golf event and seventh general since he became Pro after an excellent amateur career winning the American amateur 2024.

After a short transitional period, he found his form as a member of Fireballs GC. He followed a final round 67 in Valderrama with a draw for the seventh at the UK event to go in the open zone at 42nd in points.

A victory on Sunday would move him at a striking distance from the guaranteed lock zone.

“These are the moments that I practice so much in my career, and it would be very nice to lift my first,” said Ballester after shooting 66.

Burmester, looking for his second career LIV Golf win after winning last year in Miami, is just as motivated.

It was only a month since the Stinger GC star finished 51st in Liv Golf Andalucía, the worst result in his LIV golf career and the “lowest point of the season,” he said.

Since then he has raised his efforts to lose a few kilos to prevent him from feeling tired at the end of the rounds.

Raisities

His efforts have quickly paid dividends. He made the open air the next week the next week and ended with a final round 69. He followed a draw for the fifth in Liv Golf UK by JCB. And now he has the 36-hole lead in Bolingbrook.

His second round was an example of his improved fitness, while he took the lead thanks to a bogey-free rear nine piece with an eagle followed by three birdies.

“I feel better about what I look like and how I feel, the whole atmosphere around how I walk through the golf course,” he said.

Burmester’s Stinger GC is also in the mix for a first title in two years. The South Africans are tied up with the Fireballs and Bryson Dechambeau’s Crushers GC – who won in Bolingbrook last year – at 10 under.

Niemann’s Torque GC are five shots back in Solo Fourth.

The last time the Stingers won a team title was 2023 Liv Golf Tulsa. That week they all stayed in the same house – and they did not do that again until this week in Chicago.

“It can be a good omen for us,” said Burmester. (Courtesy Liv Golf)

Round 2 scores

T1. Crushers GC -10 (Casey 67, Decchambeau 68, Lahiri 68, Howell III 74; rd. 2 Score: -7)

T1. Fire balls GC -10 (Ballester 66, Puig 69, Ancerer 71, Garcia 73; Rd. 2 Score: -5)

T1. Stinger GC -10 (Burmester 65, Grace 70, Schwartzel 71, Oosthuizen 74; rd. 2 Score: -4)

4. Couple GC -5 (Ortiz 65, Niemann 70, Muñoz 71, Pereira 72; Rd. 2 Score: -6)

5. 4ACES GC -4 (Pieters 69, Varner III 69, Reed 72, Johnson 73; Rd. 2 Score: -1)

6. Legion XIII -1 (Rahm 67, Hatton 72, McKibbin 72, Surratt 72; rd. 2 Score: -1)

7. Ripper GC E (Jones 69, Leishman 69, Herbert 71, Smith 73; Rd. 2 Score: -2)

8. Ringed GC +2 (Wolff 68, Campbell 70, Uihlein 72, Watson 73; Rd. 2 Score: -1)

9. Smash GC +3 (Gooch 69, Kokrak 69, McDowell 75, Koepka 76; Rd. 2 Score: +5)

10. Hyflyers GC +4 (Mickelson 71, Steele 72, Ogletree 73, Tringale 73; Rd. 2 Score: +5)

11. Cleeks GC +9 (Mix 68, Kaymer 73, Meronk 73, Kjettrup 75; Rd. 2 Score: +5)

12. Iron Heads GC +11 (Jang 71, Lee 71, Kozuma 72, of 72; rd. 2 Score: +2)

T12. Majesticks GC +14 (Poulter 71, Stenson 71, Horsfield 72, Westwood 75; Rd. 2 Score: +5)

Wild cards: C. Lee 67, Kim 68

Round 2 statistics

Drive accuracy: Paul Casey, 78.57% (11 of 14 Fairways hit)

Average driving distance (for measured holes 1 and 14): Joaquin Niemann, 367.5 Yards AVG.

Longest drive (under measured holes 1 and 14): Calebe Surratt, 443.6 Yards, 14th hole

Greens in Regulation: Dean Burmester, Jon Rahm, Carlos Ortiz, 77.78% (14 of the 18 Greens)

Clambering: Talor Gooch (8 of 8), Henrik Stenson (8 of 8), Dean Burmester (4 of 4), 100%

Putting: Harold Varner III, 1.28 puts per hole

Bogey-free rounds: Talor Gooch (69)

Also read: Garcia, Johnson Share Liv Chicago Lead appear as Stingers

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