Dean Burmester opened the 2024 LIV Golf season on Friday with a four-under-par 67 in the first round of LIV Golf Mayakoba at the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon Golf Course in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Starting his round from the seventh hole, Burmester made birdies on eight and 11, and then he made an eagle-three on the 13th. He dropped a shot on the 17th and then again on the second, before finishing with birdies on six and seven to round out his day’s work.
He was in a share of seventh with Dustin Johnson, eight strokes behind the leader, Joaquin Niemann of Chile. Niemann had a 12-under-par 59 to open up in the 54-hole no-cut event, with an eagle and 10 birdies. He was five strokes clear of Patrick Reed, with Sergio Garcia in third on six-under-par. In fourth were Englishmen Laurie Canter and Richard Bland, with the biggest recruit ever for LIV Golf, Jon Rahm of Spain also on five-under.
Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen each carded a level-par 70 in the first round, while Branden Grace was on two-over 73 for a share of 41st in the expanded 54-man field.
