Dean Burmester & Stinger GC Pull Off Double Win in Chicago | LIV Golf Playoff Drama

A thrilling day at LIV Golf Chicago saw Dean Burmester claim the individual title in a playoff while leading Stinger GC to their first team victory since 2023. Burmester battled back from three bogeys in his first three holes, showed patience under pressure, and sealed the win with a clutch birdie in extra holes.

Captain Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, and Charl Schwartzel share how the team’s chemistry, resilience, and shared house for the week fueled this breakthrough. Hear the players break down key moments, personal challenges, and what this win means heading into the season finale in Indianapolis.

All right, let’s welcome the winning team of LiveGolf Chicago, Stinger GC and the individual champion Dean Burmeister. Double victory here for in Chicago for Stinger. Well done, guys. Dean, I’m going to start with you. Congratulations on the win. Can you just take us through your day going head-to-head with Jose and John and that winning moment um during the playoff on 18? Uh yeah, obviously had the dream start and I three over through three. So I was not I was uh I’m not going to lie, I I tend to get down on myself and in that moment, you know, I got a lot more to fight for than just a golf tournament. So for me it was about hanging around. I made a great up and down on four and then great birdie on five and that was kind of me going again. Um and then I had loads of chances that I didn’t didn’t make. um left a lot of putts short, but um yeah, both boys burning the 18th. I kind of I kind of knew I had to make my putt on 18 to win it in regulation and then just lagged it up there. So, but yeah, both of them made their their putts and then, you know, actually got got kind of lucky actually with my T-shot there, stopping in the rough kind of gave me a fuller shot in and I got the perfect little right bounce and it went to 6 and 1/2 ft or whatever it was and, you know, read it right to left and I went right to left and then went right and lipped in. So, I was halfway through a fist pump and then had to pause and then have a second go at it. Yeah, I mean the moment after the emotion of trying to win a golf tournament is there’s nothing sweeter than that. And then to have these boys, these two boys on the ends to kind of do it right behind me and all three of us to go to the playoff hole is is special. With this win, you’ve moved up to fourth in the individual standings now just 23 points behind Bryson heading into Indianapolis. What does it mean to you to be in that position with just one event to go of the season? Yeah, it’s um I had a great start to the year and then kind of had a dip in the middle, but for me it’s it’s awesome to kind of have a chance to crack that top three going into next week. Um you know, it’s a it’s a goal of mine to try and improve every year and I had a good good season last year and I’ve I’ve improved on it this year now after this. So, I’m really happy. I’m excited to see if I can chase him down and I I know the the big guns will be bringing their top stuff. Um I don’t know what’s happened right at the top, but I know I’ve got no chance at that. So, I’m going to try and finish as as high up as I can. Louie, captain, how proud are you of Dean’s performance this week and the team’s performance as well to get the double here in Chicago? It’s your first team win since Tulsa in 2023, which is 31 events ago. Yeah, we just we just hurt that state. Um yeah, I mean it we it’s a long time ago, you know, always felt like we um we played a lot better than on a lot of weeks, but then um that last day someone just pipped us. Um but yeah, it was nice to to go into today. Um I thought, you know, um there was going to be that extra pressure on Dean obviously with John just right behind him. And um I saw his start and sort of, you know, buckle down a bit to to to see if I can get something done cuz the other two days wasn’t very good. But um but yeah, the boys played well the whole week and um at the end there, you know, for him to get that win and then for Charlam Brandon to hit those two world class shots into 18 um was was very special and and was very relieving for me to watch. Feels like Stinger came into Chicago on a bit of a high. You had the third place finish in the UK and we also announced that Live Golf will be coming to South Africa next year. Can you just describe what the um the reception has been like about that announcement back at home and has that given you guys a bit of an extra boost? Yeah, definitely. Um I think we’ve sold 31,000 tickets so far already. Um I think it was a record 10,000 tickets in the first 24 hours. Um you know, I think um our country is a is a massive sporting country and and um they will love this field to to watch it there in Stain City. So, um, we’re all very excited and, um, you know, it’s, uh, I think we’re definitely, um, feeding a little bit off that off going knowing that we’re going there and going to play in front of our people. So, um, we’re very excited. Brendan, uh, you’ve been battling a wrist injury the past 18th month, but, uh, you’ve you’ve really shown some strong form. Um, you know, fourth in Ander Lucia, fifth this week. How satisfying is it for you to be, you know, seeing that hard work come to fruition and competing again at the highest level? Yeah, it’s been um it’s been a tough, you know, year and a half. Um obviously not easy coming back or coming off of an injury like that. Not that it’s off of it. I’m still I’m still going on with it, but um you know, I think offseason is going to be needed. So, so that’s good, but it’s nice to be playing some good golf and um you know, doing what we’re doing best. I know we we’re four great friends. We we get along on and off the golf course. We had a hell of a week here. We stayed in the house and um you know this is the type of golf that I know that the four of us can play. Um we should be contending week in and week out to to win these tournaments and um you know I know it’s been it’s been a while but it’s um it’s been a long time coming. Moving on to that team playoff, you and Charles coming in clutch there with two birdies to get the job done. Can you just take us through that playoff and what it means to you to get it done like that? Yeah, it’s um you know you can’t ever relax in those moments. Um, you know, I told Shaw afterwards, it’s like you knew one of them were going to make one of those putts, although we, you know, 6′ and and a one foot. Um, you knew one of them going to make it and the pressure was going to be back on yourself and uh, and there you go. But, um, it was just great to get up there seeing Burmy, you know, getting over the line um, in the vigil and giving us that little bit of extra motivation to get it done and um, you know, obviously the captain putting putting his faith in us um, to get to get it done as well. So, um, so that was great and obviously just, you know, very relieved to to pull it off at the end of the day. And SH, just your thoughts as well being part of that playoff and and being able to u get get the win here this week for Stinger. Yeah, it was great. Um, you know, again, it was just nice watching Dean in front of us, you know, um, you can see all the hard work that he’s put in and, you know, like I said, he started off well the season and then really middle of the season struggled and you can see we all when you when you go through his tough times, it’s not easy. And then um, you know, I was so so happy for him when he when he made that put you. So that that was great. that that already sort of I think freed me and Brandon up um that this you know from a happiness point of view for the team and um yeah we we both hit great shots um off the tea and second shots in there so set ourselves up for for those two birdies um and uh yeah it was it was nice to get it done. Over to you Mike. So Dean obviously had a a very emotional reaction when you sank the putt, but afterwards you were kind of off to the side and I think you were looking at your phone and you seemed to be very emotional. What what was kind of going through your mind and why why was this one like really special? It seemed like honestly there’s been enough going on in my life off the golf course and away from golf. I’m not going to comment further on that, but you know, the stuff that I’ve had to go through and pull through um is a lot more difficult than, you know, a lot of golf tournaments that you’ll play, but it’s certainly affectility out there in golf. I mean, these guys know that I can get pretty hot-headed mo more than most. And, you know, was certainly showing itself towards the middle of the season. I think I had high expectations to do well because I had a good start and then, you know, obviously that that didn’t go into fruition. I just kind of just eased off and fell into the the background a little bit. And then, you know, JCB was a big turning point for me. I kind of felt it in Virginia. My wife did something amazing. You know, finished a a 90 km, which is like a 60 mile marathon in 9 and a half hours. And, you know, for my wife to be able to go through what she’s put her body through and and achieve her goal like that is was special. And that kind of put things into perspective for me. and what I what I had in my mind and what what was really going on um off the golf course and on the golf course and then for for her to achieve that really kind of changed my life in a little way and that drove me to to want to do the same for them for her and my and my kids and that’s what today was about because today was not easy. It’s probably the the worst I’ve played in a little while, you know, certainly in the beginning in a while, but then just to hang kind of hang on and and have Jason back me like that was was great. And we’ve we’ve been through a lot, so it was really emotional. You’re right. What was that lie like on the second shot there in the playoff? I mean, the grass was growing with me, so that helped a lot. Um, but it was certainly down there. I mean, this rough is no joke. They they certainly grow up and it kind of flattens on a lot of the lies around the green so you can get anything around the green and then but you know if you miss a fairway here I missed a fairway on two today just left a couple yards left and I was struggling to get that on the green um you know with a gap wedge in my hand and then you know that one luckily it’s a it’s a lob wedge a 60°ree there’s a bit of luck in it but I honestly hit hit the best shot I could and it pitched exactly where I wanted so I I mean I switch out with this but could have turned out different And Lou, how difficult was it, or maybe it wasn’t that difficult to to not pick yourself for the playoffs? It was very easy. Um, my my me and Dean actually said after Australia, I said, “Okay, that was our chance.” And we had a good opportunity on the first hole and we both missed our putts. So, the next one is Charlam Brandon. And then, um, I just I played with them and I knew they was going to come down to a putt on the last hole. I knew they were reading the greens pretty good. that they’re rolling it very good and uh they actually took that fun part out of it by hitting two two unbelievable shots into there. I mean Brandon still had a tricky um little six-footer but um I just thought you know I was a bit all over the place this week. Yeah, I played better today but um I know Brandon’s playing very well and I know how what player Shaw is. So it was actually at the end a very very easy decision. If Dean could have just saved us all by making the putt on the regulation, then you know it would have been a lot easier. But yeah, we might have lost it. No, we won one by one then if you made it. Oh, I didn’t work that out. And you guys were talking about the house that you shared this week and Dean told us yesterday that the last time you did that was when you won in Tulsa. So my question is why don’t you do that more often? I think they’re already looking at houses next week. Um, yeah. No. Um, I don’t know. It It just It’s just the way it worked. But, um, yeah. I don’t know. No idea. It’s tough when we got the families, you know what I mean? When the families travel, I mean, we’ll need a 12-bedroom house for everybody. So, this is one of the few weeks where it’s actually just the four of us. I had my daughter here with me this week. Um but most weeks we got some family coming in the weekends or something and then it gets uh you need to get a really big house and gets a lot crowded. So So what’s for all of you? What’s it like in that house? Like who’s the bri master? Who’s how and does that help when you’re all together? You know, he cleans up pretty good. So um yeah, he’s in charge of that. Packing the dishwasher, that sort of stuff. I felt like looking after three kids this week. I’m not allowed to bri That’s what I’ve been told. He’s the best eater. Um, but yeah, but no, we all had our turns. But no, it was great. It’s just nice having the banter and you know, we had the fire on every night and and cooking and that sort of stuff. So, it’s been it’s been great just sitting sitting around the table. You know, we were watching rugby world cup videos a couple of nights ago, some Africans music going, these sort of things. But, um, it’s just nice to have the four of us together. Charles, you want to weigh in on the house? I mean, I actually didn’t do much this week. These guys looked after me. Lou cooked well. Brandon cooked. Um, myself and Dean, we made each other coffee. Yeah, we we we were the coffee guys. Um, no, it was a very easy week for me actually. And and my last question, Dean, so yesterday you were talking about you were joking that you would have to learn Spanish because you were playing with Rahm and Joselli. You beat Sergio in a playoff obviously, so you’ve beaten three Spaniards in the two playoffs. Maybe they need to learn Africans. I mean, I can teach him a few words they need to know if you want, but I mean, I suppose that’s just coincidence more than anything else, but honestly, today to go headto-head with Rahm, I’ve been headto-head with him twice before and kind of lost out both times. Um, I think Nean came out on top once in Mexico and then actually a long long time ago when he was just getting out of college, I played with played against him in Dubai, second to last group where he won. Um, so yeah, I know I know what it’s like to be on the other end of that, but yeah, I mean, two phenomenal players. That kid by a stair has got some game that I will tell you, he’s got some serious game. Um, he showed some some nuts today. I mean, his shot in 17 was no joke straight at the flag. It It didn’t It looked like it was a two all day. It could have been a one and then unfortunately missed that putt. Um, and then to hit that shot in on 18 under that kind of pressure, you don’t see kids that do that very often. So, yeah, for me to come out on top was awesome. So, Africans won this time, but um, we’ll see what happens next time. Very like, uh, Brandon, can you talk a little bit about the highs and lows of golf? I mean, last month you were worried about, you know, relegation and all that stuff, and now you finished in the top five, two of the last three events, and now you’re holding the team trophy. How are the highs and lows and how do you deal with that? Listen, it comes in life. It’s not just in sport. Um, you know, I think as an athlete, you just keep believing, you keep grinding, you keep thinking the, you know, the the big thing is just around the corner. Um, I think in golf it’s making one putt, making good one good swing and um, you get a feeling and then you go. Um, but for me, I felt that, you know, the last couple of months since Mexico, I felt that I’ve been swinging better. Um, you know, I’ve been playing better golf and and, you know, the guys have always been behind me, but it’s nice knowing that, you know, Charles mentioned a few times, you can see the ball flights back and these sort of things and, you know, all those things just help you believe in yourself even more. And, um, you know, and then you just keep going and, you know, one good week in in Anderles was amazing. I know um, you know, you kind of go to the mindset to that place knowing that it’s tough. So, you only have to beat half the guys that’s out there because half of them don’t want to be there anyway because it’s so hard. um and then obviously played well and then coming out to these weeks just riding the form a little bit but um obviously now it’s great to have gone through all those things. It’s tough when you have to u but I know it makes you stronger at the end of the day but um now it’s um it’s it feels a lot more it feels a lot nicer knowing that um you know what I’m capable of doing and what I’ve achieved in this little little stretch so far. And Dean kind of a similar question but in the context of this round specifically you don’t see a lot of times where a player will bogey their first three holes and go on to win. How did you kind of fight through that and what were your what was your mindset after that third bogey? Um, honestly on on the first I I thought I had a a beautiful second shot in there and then three puted and then second hole you know kind of got two bad lines in a row and made bogey and then the third hole honestly hit hit the wrong third shot hit the wrong shot in there and spun back and then three putted again and I was like I don’t really feel like I’ve done too much wrong. Um but at the same time you’re kind of disheartened. You know the other guys I’ve let everybody in basically I’ve let the whole field in in three holes. Um walking to force T is a nice long walk. So I was able to kind of just stand there and think about it. I was still tied for the lead. Like I could have been in that position starting the day and still be in that position. So that’s the kind of mentality I had to have and said I’m still tied for the lead. Let’s just hang around. Let’s try not give up the lead. Let’s just keep going. And then you hit an okay shot on the next. Got it up and down. and hit a really good chip out of a tough lie and then birdie the next and it was kind of you know I I took a brave decision hit driver off that te and then made a nice putt and and that was kind of me going you know I started hit some really good shots from there still missed a ton of putts but I was giving myself chances instead of really struggling for pars um and then yeah too I always told myself if I can try and get back to even for the day and then we’ll see where we stand with the last few to go because I have played the back nine well all week a lot better than I played the front so yeah for that, you know, that that amount of patience for me to have that was was something I don’t normally have. So, I was I was really proud of that. And then the last thing in the playoff hole, do you feel like you almost had an advantage being in the rough because Jose was in a perfect spot and he hit a short wedge obviously and he spun it too much coming from the rough. The ball didn’t spin. It tumbled right up to where you needed it to go. Did that in retrospect maybe an advantage? Yeah, I think in in regulation I um I kind of I was expecting my shot in regulation. I knew the pitcher had a couple on and it would release. I know it rained a little bit, but I didn’t know how much of it rained on that green, for instance, cuz where we were, we didn’t really have that much rain. The course was kind of still firm. And then when we got to 16, 17, 18, those greens were all really soft. Um, so I was actually expecting it to, you know, downwind to kind of release my first pitch shot and it didn’t. So, yeah, when I when I saw it in the rough, I knew I didn’t have to worry about spin too much. It was just more about the number and getting contact. So, to have the grass kind of growing with me helped a lot. And then, yeah, to pull off that kind of shot was was special. Thanks. Congratulations. Thank you. Do we have any more questions?