Alfred Dunhill Championship: Dean Burmester leads at Leopard Creek after back-nine birdie blitz | Golf News

Watch round two of the Alfred Dunhill Championship live on Sky Sports Golf from 10am on Friday – South Africa’s Dean Burmester shoots six birdies on his back nine to lead on seven under after round one with British contenders three shots back

Dean Burmester leads the Alfred Dunhill Championship by one shot after round after following a birdie surge on the back nine

Dean Burmester’s back-nine birdie blitz earned him a one-stroke lead over Austria’s Lukas Nemecz after round one of the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek.

South African Burmester picked up shots at the 10th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th holes to head the field after a seven-under 65, with Nemecz narrowly behind after an opening 66.

Burmester – a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, most recently at the Tenerife Open in May 2021 – also carded two birdies, as well as his solitary bogey, on the front nine.

Another South African, Darren Fichardt, took to the 18th just one shot behind Burmester but made a bogey to drop down to five under and into a five-way share of third place.

England’s Laurie Canter is a stroke further back on four under after an opening 68, the same score achieved by Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin.

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Deer, oh deer! A male bush buck made an unexpected appearance on day one of Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa!

Burmester credits Mehmet for back-nine success

World No 58 Burmester set up the Birdies 4 Rhinos charity with fellow professional Justin Walters – and said being asked about that mid-round by Sky Sports reporter Inchi Mehmet had inspired his late run of birdies.

“I think you were the difference weren’t you?” Burmester told Mehmet after signing his card.

“[We had an] on-course chat saying I needed to make more birdies for rhinos and, boom, that’s exactly what happened. What a back nine, some of the best I’ve played in a little while so I’m happy to do that.”

One of Burmester’s playing partners, 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, finished two-over par after a two-shot penalty and a bogey nine at the 18th.

The Alfred Dunhill Championship is the fifth event of the 2023 DP World Tour, with winners so far this season including World No 3 Cameron Smith and England’s Dan Bradbury, who triumphed at the Australian PGA Championship and Joburg Open respectively.

Watch round two of the Alfred Dunhill Championship live on Sky Sports Golf from 10am on Friday. Coverage is also on Sky Sports Main Event from 1pm.

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