Dean Burmester rattled off his lowest round of the season to shrug off a run of poor form and post a 65 in round one of the Belgian Knockout at Rinkven International Golf Club.
The 2017 Tshwane Open champion birdied the 11th, 12th, 15th and fourth, hit a stunning approach into the eighth and holed from 12 feet on the ninth to fire his lowest round of the season by two strokes.
He joined 2018 SA Open champion Chris Paisley and Gonzalo Fdez-Castano with countrymen JC Ritchie, who was bogey-free playing on a sponsor’s invite, and Justin Walters in the group two back on the overall leaderboard.
Sweden’s Anton Karlsson leads at -8.
‘I felt really comfortable,’ said Burmester.
‘I didn’t play last year but I grew up on a course very similar to this – narrow and a lot of dog-legs. It was nice to get out there and get it done. I’ve been playing well for quite a while but mentally it’s just not been there, it’s been a bit of a struggle out there’
The innovative event has Burmester and Paisley on top of section A which includes Ritchie with Walters firmly in the mix in section B. Darren Fichardt was in the group sharing 22nd in the second group with three holes to play.
The top 16 in each section proceed to the weekend’s knockout stages.
