LIV Golf: Dean Burmester beats Jon Rahm and Josele Ballester in playoff for Chicago title
Dean Burmester beat Jon Rahm and Josele Ballester to the title at LIV Golf Chicago following a playoff; There also was a team playoff, with Burmester's Stinger team beating Torque for the team title
Sunday 10 August 2025 22:16, UK
Dean Burmester overcame a rough start to get into a three-way playoff and then beat Jon Rahm and Josele Ballester on the first extra hole with a six-foot birdie putt to win LIV Golf Chicago.
Burmester lost a two-shot lead at the start with three straight bogeys. He rallied late for an even-par 71 to finish on nine-under 204.
The South African birdied the 16th to regain the lead, only for Rahm and Ballester to birdie the 18th to force a playoff. On the 18th in the playoff, Ballester and Rahm both missed birdie chances from the 12-foot range.
"This has been emotional. 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," Burmester said.
"I think about my kids and my wife back home, and I'm just trying to do the best I can for them. My wife finished an ultra marathon the week of West Virginia.
"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 kilometres in a day, nine and a half hours or whatever it was, then I can do anything."
Burmester won £2.97m ($4m) for his second LIV Golf victory. He also won in Miami last year.
There also was a team playoff, with Burmester's Stinger team beating Torque for the team title.
Joaquin Niemann tied for 17th to remain ahead of Rahm in the individual points standing. Niemann has never finished in the top 10 in LIV Golf except for his seven victories.
