South African Dean Burmester will take a two-stroke lead heading into Sunday’s final round at LIV Golf Chicago. He’ll be playing in the final group with Jon Rahm, a two-time major winner and reigning LIV Golf Individual Champion, and Josele Ballester, the super-talented 21-year-old who turned pro in June to join LIV Golf. Both are from Spain.

“Going to have to brush up on my Spanish,” smiled Burmester after finishing off a brilliant six-under 65 that moved him to nine-under through two rounds at Bolingbrook Golf Club.

Burmester, seeking his second career LIV Golf victory after winning last year in Miami, is just as motivated.

It was just a month ago that the Stinger GC star finished 51st at LIV Golf Andalucía, the worst result in his LIV Golf career and the “lowest point of the season,” he said. Since then, he has increased his efforts to lose a few pounds to avoid feeling fatigued at the end of rounds.

His efforts have paid quick dividends. He made the cut the following week at The Open, finishing with a final-round 69. He followed with a tie for fifth at LIV Golf UK. And now he has the 36-hole lead at Bolingbrook.

His second round an example of his improved fitness, as he grabbed the lead thanks to a bogey-free back-nine stretch that included an eagle followed by three birdies.

“I feel better about how I look and how I feel, the whole vibe around how I walk around the golf course,” he said.

Burmester’s Stinger GC team is also in the mix for its first team title in two years. The South Africans are tied with the Fireballs and Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC – who won at Bolingbrook last year – at 10 under. Joaquin Niemann’s Torque GC team is five shots back in solo fourth.

The last time the Stingers won a team title was 2023 LIV Golf Tulsa. That week, they all stayed in the same house – and they haven’t done that again until this week in Chicago.

“It could be a good omen for us,” Burmester said.