South Africa's Dean Burmester: "Back-to-back! I've never done that before so that was special. It's obviously one as a South African that I've always wanted to win. To be involved in this tournament and to win it is super special. To be the SA Open champion is something I'll never forget"
Sunday 3 December 2023 16:25, UK
Dean Burmester made two birdies on the final three holes to pull away from the field and win the South African Open on Sunday by three strokes, securing back-to-back titles on the DP World Tour,
The 34-year-old South African's title win follows his triumph at the Joburg Open last week.
Burmester's final-round 68 saw him finish with a four-round total of 277, well clear of the trio of Italian Renato Paratore, Jesper Svensson of Sweden and South African Ryan van Velzen on 280.
Burmester started the final round two shots off the lead but went top of the leaderboard after making three birdies and a single bogey in tricky scoring conditions on the front nine.
He had looked in danger of missing the cut, or even pulling out, after feeling unwell on Friday when he carded a 74 but played himself into contention on Saturday with a third-round 65.
"Back-to-back! I've never done that before so that was special," Burmester said. "It's obviously one as a South African that I've always wanted to win.
"To be involved in this tournament and to win it, with a bank that used to sponsor me and got me off the ground when I was just a kid, is super special.
"So to be the SA Open champion is something I'll never forget. It's a tournament I watched growing up and I watched a lot of legends."
Van Velzen and compatriot Jayden Schaper had shared the overnight lead but could only shoot 73 and 74 respectively, while Italy's Matteo Manassero shared the lead after holing from 100 feet for an eagle on the fifth, but eventually signed for a 72 to finish in a tie for fifth.
Defending champion Thriston Lawrence carded a closing 67 to finish in a tie for 10th.
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