Burmester stalking a hat-trick
Dean Burmester tees off in this week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship seeking a rare hat-trick of titles on the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour as he joins an impressive field of stars on the fairways of Leopard Creek.
Burmester dominated the last two co-sanctioned tournaments with his victories in the Joburg Open and the Investec SA Open, and is a clear favourite for the Alfred Dunhill Championship, which tees off at SA’s top-ranked golf course on Thursday.
That he has the opportunity to make it three wins running at possibly his favourite golf course and tournament venue this week makes the challenge even more special.
“I’m very happy and blessed to be able to come to a place like this and enjoy it and do what I love,” Burmester said. “The only way you’ll ever understand what Leopard Creek is, is by getting the opportunity to come here personally. We get to play golf on a perfectly manicured golf course and then every time I get to the 13th green here I almost always shed a tear,” he said of the green that overlooks the Kruger National Park.
Burmester’s quest to claim one of the most sought after titles on the Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour will face a stern test against a field including defending champion Ockie Strydom, double PGA Tour champion Erik van Rooyen, Major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel, former Alfred Dunhill Championship winners Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Branden Grace and Brandon Stone, and fourtime DP World Tour champion Thriston Lawrence.
Schwartzel’s record in this championship is unsurpassed and he returns as the winner of a record four Alfred Dunhill Championship titles as well as having finished second on four occasions.
He also holds the tournament total record of 24-under-par 264 and the biggest margin of victory in the history of this tournament of 12 strokes achieved that same year, 2012.