There’s no place like home, and Dean Burmester certainly feels it.
Burmester’s return home to the Sunshine Tour this week saw him win the Vodacom Origins of Golf Final at Oubaai Golf Estate by seven strokes on Sunday, matching the second largest margin of victory in the history of this series. Jared Harvey owns the record for the largest margin of victory with his eight-stroke triumph in 2017.
“It’s just great to be back in South Africa playing golf and competing for trophies. I love South African golf,” said a delighted Burmester, who was surrounded by friends and family who watched him close with a 66 to win on 28 under par.
“It’s super special to win in front of so many friends and family. The South African hospitality is so special. The support we had and that super South African gees was just magnificent.”
Jean Hugo took second place on 21 under par with a closing 70.
Jacques Kruyswijk had an incredible final day as he surged up the leaderboard with a closing 62, including a back nine of 29, to finish third on 20 under par.
It was one of several magnificent rounds of golf on Sunday. Stefan Wears-Taylor put together a front nine of 29 on his way to a 63 that included four eagles for a total of 19 under par and a share of fourth place. And Branden Grace would’ve been delighted with his 63 to finish tied sixth on 18 under par.
But the final two rounds of this tournament were a battle between Burmester and Hugo. Having already built up a sizeable lead, Burmester could afford the two bogeys he made on 15 and 16 before finishing with two birdies, while Hugo double-bogeyed the 16th.
“I had a good battle with Jean (Hugo) over the last two days which was also fun,” said Burmester. “But this is what I grew up on – this kikuyu grass. It suits my game. And it was so special to have everybody out here watching. My family and I made the move to George from Bloemfontein about eight years ago and we’ve absolutely been embraced by this town.”
This is Burmester’s second victory on the Vodacom Origins of Golf series after his win in 2015.
“I’m going into my 16th year as a pro and this series has been going on for way longer. Vodacom have been supporting our Tour and supporting careers and families for so long. Long may their unwavering support of the Sunshine Tour continue,” he said.
Danielle du Toit finished as the leading Sunshine Ladies Tour professional in 20th place on 13 under par with a final round of 68. Gabrielle Venter closed with a 69 to finish on 12 under par, while Cara Gorlei also posted a 69 to end her week on four under par.
SCORES:
260 - Dean Burmester 67 64 63 66
267 - Jean Hugo 64 64 69 70
268 - Jacques Kruyswijk 70 67 69 62
269 - Stefan Wears-Taylor 72 65 69 63, Bryce Easton 71 66 63 69
270 - Branden Grace 70 70 67 63, Barend Botha 65 69 66 70
271 - Martin Vorster 70 68 67 66
272 - Yurav Premlall 68 68 68 68, Conner Mackenzie 67 65 71 69, Daniel van Tonder 71 63 68 70, Samuel Simpson 68 66 68 70
273 - Louis de Jager 70 67 69 67, Ockie Strydom 67 70 68 68, Jaco Prinsloo 69 70 66 68, Malcolm Mitchell 68 70 66 69, Oliver Bekker 62 70 71 70
274 - Ruan Conradie 74 63 70 67, Luke Brown 70 68 68 68
275 - Jovan Rebula 70 68 70 67, Jason Roets 70 68 70 67, Jack Hawksby 72 68 68 67, Craig Ross 70 70 68 67, Danielle du Toit 71 67 69 68, Wynand Dingle 70 72 64 69, Fredrik From 68 70 65 72
276 - Kyle De Beer 71 68 69 68, Ricky Hendler 66 69 72 69, Herman Loubser 69 67 71 69, Gabrielle Venter 72 65 70 69, Dylan Naidoo 69 72 66 69, Heinrich Bruiners 68 68 70 70, Doug McGuigan 70 69 66 71
277 - Deon Germishuys 71 71 68 67, Tyran Snyders 71 65 73 68, Jacob Oakley 68 71 70 68, Graham van der Merwe 69 67 72 69, Sean Bradley 64 67 72 74
279 - Combrinck Smit 73 67 71 68, Luke Jerling 72 69 66 72, Hennie O'Kennedy 67 70 69 73
280 - Ethan Smith 69 68 74 69, Stephen Ferreira 70 70 67 73
281 - Matthew Spacey 66 72 76 67, Dylan Mostert 74 67 72 68, Karabo Mokoena 70 72 71 68, Brandon Pieters 71 70 71 69, JJ Senekal 72 69 70 70, Estiaan Conradie 73 67 69 72, Rourke van der Spuy 74 67 66 74, Jacques Blaauw 74 64 68 75
282 - Christopher Long 71 71 74 66
283 - Haydn Porteous 66 73 76 68, Keelan van Wyk 71 70 72 70, CJ du Plessis 71 69 72 71, Jean-Paul Strydom 72 66 73 72
284 - Cara Gorlei 69 73 73 69, LB Boshoff 72 68 74 70, Franklin Manchest 68 73 71 72, MJ Viljoen 69 68 74 73
285 - Pierre Pellegrin 75 67 73 70, Callum Mowat 71 70 73 71, Trevor Mahoney 72 70 69 74, Stals Swart 66 71 72 76
288 - Keegan Mclachlan 68 70 70 80
290 - Alex Haindl 73 66 76 75
Missed the cut:-
143 - Hayden Griffiths 75 68, Altin van der Merwe 73 70, Ivan Verster 73 70, Sentanio Minnie 74 69, Nick Cunningham 77 66, Peter Karmis 70 73, Christian Kriek 74 69, Rhys West 73 70, Jacques P de Villiers 72 71, Lyle Rowe 75 68
144 - Joe Long 73 71, Jake Roos 72 72
145 - Danie Van Niekerk 77 68, Keagan Thomas 71 74, Jordan Duminy 75 70, James Pennington 70 75, Pieter Moolman 77 68, Simon du Plooy 74 71, Adam Breen 72 73
146 - David Amm 76 70, Ruan Groenewald 73 73, Keenan Davidse 75 71, Nikhil Rama 71 75, Therion Nel 74 72, Kyle McClatchie 74 72, Kyle Barker 78 68, Martin Rohwer 77 69, Ruan Korb 68 78, Quintin Wilsnach 70 76, Stuart Krog 74 72, Hennie Otto 72 74, Sean Cronje 73 73, Christiaan Basson 74 72
147 - Toto Thimba Jnr 74 73, Jaco Van Zyl 75 72, Regan Steyn 80 67, Andre De Decker 73 74, Francois van Staden 72 75, Brandon Meads 71 76, Ruan de Smidt 73 74, Merrick Bremner 70 77, Thabiso Ngcobo 73 74
148 - Irvin Mazibuko 77 71, Carlo Heunis 75 73, Kirby Coe-Kirkham 74 74, James Mack 78 70
149 - Christiaan Burke 76 73, Jake Redman 74 75, Njoroge Kibugu 75 74, Kayle Wykes 72 77, Werner Deyzel 73 76, Robson Chinhoi 73 76, Gerhard Pepler 76 73, Bradford Vaughan 77 72
150 - Steven Le Roux 73 77, Dylan O'Leary 73 77, Tristin Galant 79 71, Gary Kemp 77 73, Pride Sembo 73 77, Dayne Moore 80 70
151 - Richard Kruger 75 76
152 - Vaughn van Deventer 72 80, Leon Vorster 80 72, Ace Andile Adam 74 78
153 - Jacquin Hess 76 77
154 - Umar Davids 81 73, Otto Van Buynder 80 74, Albert Venter 81 73
155 - Lyle Pedro 83 72, Brandon Gildenhuys 79 76, Travis Ladner 78 77
159 - Shaahid Mahmed 84 75
164 - Kim de Klerk 82 82
166 - Terence Boardman 87 79
RTD - Llewellyn Leibrandt 96 RTD RTD