LIV Golf Winner Dean Burmester Gives Measured Response To Masters Question
LIV Golf Miami champion Dean Burmester refused to say that he deserved to be in the Masters field despite admitting he's playing some of the best golf of his career


Dean Burmester defeated Sergio Garcia in a playoff to win his first LIV Golf title and wrap up his third win since November after back-to-back DP World Tour victories in late 2023.
It's the biggest win of the South African's career, with the huge $4m check by far his largest ever payday. Due to LIV's lack of world ranking points, however, he has not earned a spot in The Masters field like PGA Tour winner Akshay Bhatia did at the Valero Texas Open.
Immediately after securing the title, the South African was asked by LIV's Dom Boulet about not being at Augusta despite beating 13 LIV players who are in the Masters field.
His response was a measured one.
“I can’t say that," he replied on whether he "deserved" to be in the field for the year's first Major.
"I mean I can't say that Augusta, they make their own decisions. But I feel like I’ve played some of the best golf of my career and I feel like I’ve played against a lot of good players all over the world and won and this kind of just proves it. Do I wanna be there? For sure. I obviously wanna be there.”
Burmester was then later asked about The Masters again at his press conference.
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"I mean, I want to be in the field, obviously. I feel like I've played some really great golf over the last five, six months," he said.
"The two wins back home in South Africa before Christmas were special, two tournaments I've wanted to win for a long time, and to win the South African Open, which is the second oldest tournament in the world, is a privilege.
"I thought I held myself really well there, and to come here on a golf course like this that's Major worthy and to beat Major champions, I'm happy to have done that. Do I want to be at Augusta? Yeah, I've never been there before, so yeah, I want to be there."
LIV will be represented with 13 players in this week's Masters field, with the likes of Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm all confident the 54-hole circuit's players can make an impact at Augusta.
One player who isn't there is the league's champion from 2023, Talor Gooch.
Gooch made headlines earlier this year when he suggested a Rory McIlroy win could require an 'asterisk' due to some LIV Golfers not being in the field due to the league's world ranking issue.
Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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