BURMESTER, PUIG EARN U.S. OPEN SPOTS IN FINAL QUALIFYING
LIV Golf players Dean Burmester and David Puig earned spots for next week’s U.S. Open thanks to their performances on Golf’s Longest Day, which saw over 600 golfers competing for 44 spots across 10 qualifying sites on Monday.
Burmester, the Stingers GC star who won LIV Golf Miami earlier this year, finished at 6 under in his two rounds of the Jupiter, Florida qualifier at The Bear’s Club to claim one of five available spots.
Puig, who joined Fireballs GC in the offseason, claimed medalist honors by shooting 12 under to earn one of four spots at the Daly City, California qualifier.
Both players are now assured of making three major starts this year. Burmester and Puig received special invites to play in last month’s PGA Championship, and they will both play in next month’s Open Championship after winning Qualifying Series events (Joburg Open for Burmester, Malaysian Open for Puig).
With the addition of Burmester and Puig to the U.S. Open field, LIV Golf will have 12 golfers competing at Pinehurst next week. That list includes: Bryson DeChambeau, Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka, Adrian Meronk, Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Eugenio Chacarra, the latter having earned his spot two weeks ago in a qualifier in Texas.
All 12 golfers will be in action at LIV Golf Houston this week, as the league begins the second half of its 14-tournament season.
A total of 17 LIV Golf players were among the 672 golfers competing in Golf's Longest Day, which saw players compete for U.S. Open spots at 10 sites across the U.S. and Canada.
The 22-year-old Puig made it through final qualifying for the second straight year in California, after earning his first major start at Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles a year ago. This time it was at Lake Merced, as Puig followed his opening 68 with a bogey-free 8-under 64 to top the leaderboard.
Earlier in the afternoon, on the other side of the country, Burmester opened with a bogey-free 4-under 68, followed by a rollercoaster 2-under 70 that included seven birdies, three bogeys and a double.
Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC) and Anirban Lahiri (Crushers GC) each finished at 2 under, one shot out of the playoff for the final spot in Florida. Niemann, this season’s Individual points leader, suffered a late double bogey midway through his afternoon back nine to derail his chances.
At the Maryland qualifier in Rockville, Kieran Vincent (Legion XIII) and Lucas Herbert (Ripper GC) each finished one shot shy of forcing a playoff for the third and final spot. Both golfers finished at 7 under, with Vincent getting the second alternate spot.
Herbert’s Ripper teammate, Marc Leishman, shot the lowest score in the opening round with a 7-under 64 but followed it with a 3-over 74 to finish at 4 under. Sebastián Muñoz (Torque GC) also finished at 4 under.
At the Georgia qualifier in Alpharetta, Andy Ogletree (HyFlyers GC) shot 7 under, five shots back of the final qualifying spot. In North Carolina, Harold Varner (4Aces GC) finished at 1 over, four shots off the final spot.
Here's a look at the 17 LIV golfers and links to their qualifier leaderboards:
JUPITER, FLORIDA
Competing: Joaquin Niemann, Anirban Lahiri, Graeme McDowell, Dean Burmester, Charl Schwartzel, Cameron Tringale, Peter Uihlein, Branden Grace
Course: The Bear's Club
Spots available: 73 players for 5 spots
ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND
Competing: Sebastián Muñoz, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert, Kieran Vincent
Course: Woodmont (North)
Spots available: 64 players for 3 spots
Click for Rockville leaderboard
ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA
Competing: Andy Ogletree, Hudson Swafford
Course: The Golf Club of Georgia (Lakeside)
Spots available: 68 players for 3 spots
Click for Alpharetta leaderboard
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
Competing: Harold Varner III
Course: Duke University Golf Club
Spots available: 84 players for 7 spots
DALY CITY, CALIFORNIA
Competing: Matt Jones, David Puig
Course: Lake Merced Golf Club
Spots available: 84 players for 4 spots