South Africa’s Dean Burmester delivered one of the most stirring finishes of the LIV Golf season, clinching the Chicago title and a $4 million payday from the $25 million purse on Sunday.
His victory came after a dramatic three-man playoff against Jon Rahm and Josele Ballester, capped by a six-foot birdie putt at Bolingbrook Golf Club.
The 36-year-old pro began the final round with a two-shot lead but stumbled early with three consecutive bogeys. His even-par 71 brought him to 9-under for the tournament, matched by Rahm and Ballester after both birdied the 18th in regulation.
On the playoff hole, Rahm and Ballester missed birdie attempts from 12 feet. But the South African professional rolled in his putt perfectly and pumped his fist in triumph.
“This has been emotional,” Burmester expressed after his win during Sunday’s post-round conference. “Since kind of before Virginia, I’ve been going through a bit of a rough time, personal stuff, and I’ve just been grinding and trying to get better.”
The source of his strength? His wife, Melissa Burmester.
During the week of LIV Golf West Virginia in June, Melissa completed an ultra-marathon of 90 kilometers in nine and a half hours. Burmester watched her finish from his phone and found the exact inspiration he needed on Sunday.
“That Sunday I was on my phone watching her, and that truly gave me an inspiration to kind of — if she can do that, she can run 90 whatever kilometers in a day, nine and a half hours or whatever it was, then I can do anything.”
He added later during the press conference, “For her to achieve that really kind of changed my life, and that drove me to want to do the same for them, for her and my kids. That’s what today (Sunday) was about, because today was not easy.”
BOLINGBROOK, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 10: Dean Burmester of Stinger GC (R) holds the individual trophy and celebrates with his caddie Jason Reynolds on stage on day three of LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook Golf Club…
BOLINGBROOK, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 10: Dean Burmester of Stinger GC (R) holds the individual trophy and celebrates with his caddie Jason Reynolds on stage on day three of LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook Golf Club on August 10, 2025 in Bolingbrook, Illinois. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
More
Getty Images
Burmester and Melissa met in South Africa in the early 2010s and have been married since 2014. Now they are a family of four having two children.
The LIV golf pro often credits their partnership for grounding his career through its highs and lows. Melissa, being a dedicated athlete herself, has supported Burmester through his transition from the DP World Tour to LIV Golf.
Rahm carded a final-round 69 but couldn’t convert in the playoff. His runner-up finish earned him $1.875 million and narrowed the gap in the individual standings, where he now trails Joaquin Niemann by just 12.27 points. That said, Niemann, who finished tied for 17th at 2-under, still remains the season-long leader.
Burmester’s win also helped his team, Stinger GC, secure the team title in a separate playoff against Torque GC.
More Golf: FedEx St. Jude Championship 2025: $20M Purse Breakdown as Justin Rose Wins