Dean Burmester made a welcome return inside the top 100 in the latest golf rankings after a final round 65 helped him to a top-10 finish at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
Burmester’s name was on everyone’s lips as he propelled himself up the leaderboard on Sunday after Saturday’s difficult scoring conditions. Before Alex Noren blew the field apart with eight birdies and a closing eagle, Burmester was the closest to causing a major upset on Sunday.
The Tshwane Open winner was six under through 10 before saving par with two clutch putts. A birdie at 14 was followed by a bogey at 15, which halted his Sunday charge before signing for a 65 which ensured him a healthy payday, and an 18-place jump up the rankings into 94th.
Branden Grace was firmly in contention on Sunday, but a double at the par 5 12th hole ended his hopes of an eighth European Tour win. He finished alongside Burmester in a share for ninth, which saw him move up one spot in the rankings to 25th.
Compleat Golfer’s playing editor Louis Oosthuizen, who did not tee it up last week, remains South Africa’s top-ranked player, despite dropping two places to 19th, with countryman Charl Schwartzel dropping one spot to sit in 20th. There was some good news though, as Schwartzel’s wrist injury is not as bad as first feared, with ice and rest the only prescription at this point.
At the top of the rankings there is no change in the top five, with Dustin Johnson keeping his comfortable lead ahead of the year’s second Major at Erin Hills in June. Johnson leads Rory McIlory, Jason Day, Hideki Matsuyama and Henrik Stenson.
Jordan Spieth moved up one spot after finishing second at the Dean & DeLuca Invitational with Sergio Garcia dropping into seventh. Noren’s win helped him move back into the top 10 to sit in eighth place with Jon Rahm (up three places) and Adam Scott rounding out the top 10.
Top 10 South African rankings:
Louis Oosthuizen – 19
Charl Schwartzel – 20
Branden Grace – 25
Brandon Stone –86
Dean Burmester – 94
Dylan Frittelli – 101
Richard Sterne – 104
Jaco Van Zyl – 113
George Coetzee – 143
Thomas Aiken – 178
Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
