A strong field, demanding conditions and a slow start were no match for Dean Burmester who turned his fortunes around and then some after a Friday 65 at the Open de Espana, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
What a difference 24 hours and 18 holes makes, as Burmester quelled any fears of a free weekend with a superb second round at the Centro Nacional de Golf in Madrid.
‘Yesterday wasn’t a great day, it was cold, windy and there was a bit of rain. And I certainly wasn’t on my game,’ Burmester told Compleat Golfer.
A birdie to start the day, a missed short birdie on the second and then a steady up and down on the third provided evidence that his pre-round work had paid off.
‘I spoke to my coach [Corne Viljoen] last night and he gave me a couple of things to work on this morning before I teed off. Clearly, it paid off because I felt pretty solid out there today and I got myself back into things with a good round.’
‘The start gave me some momentum and I capitalised with a birdie on the fifth and then an eagle on the seventh. That was nice because I left myself 30 yards to the pin and pitched in which is always a bonus.’
Although he was climbing the leaderboard steadily after a rocky first round which left him with work to do and he had more after the day’s lone drop at the ninth.
‘I got it quite quickly to four under and I was thinking “Okay, you’ve got a good chance at making it into the weekend” but unfortunately I bogeyed the 9th. It’s a tough par-three but I’ve struggled on the short holes this week, I’m something like four or five over on them so safe to say it’s not been a good run on them.’
That bogey and the field’s momentum shifted the cut line even higher.
Burmester then gave himself a cushion of a payday, and an outside chance of a weekend run at the leaders, with gains at the 10th and 11th.
’15 was a nice birdie and then I finished nicely with a birdie on the 18th with an up and down with a sand wedge which was a good way to finish,’ he added.
He was upbeat about his day and where it leaves him midway through the tournament. The big-hitting Bloemfontein golfer loves to get rampant on the greens and loves a challenge. He’s now given himself a chance at chasing down those at the top of the pile after moving to -6 through 36, seven behind Ireland’s Paul Dunne (65).
‘Now it’s a go low weekend. The weather is going to be good and it’s going to be a birdie fest with the names you have in contention and the course setting itself up for low scores. It’s time to make as many birdies as possible and try keep the bogeys off the card.’
Burmester reduced his bogey count from four to one, if he can match Friday’s performance with something similar tomorrow, he will be staring down a much smaller target with just 18 holes to play.
Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
