Dean Burmester started his campaign for a PGA Tour card strongly on Thursday with a bogey-free five-under-par 66 in the first round of the Albertsons Boise Open in Boise, Idaho.
The tournament is the first event of the three-tournament Korn Ferry Tour Finals, and 25 players from the three-event Korn Ferry Tour Finals Eligibility Points List will be added to the 25 players – including South African MJ Daffue – who gain eligibility to the PGA Tour.
Burmester made two birdies on a solid front nine, on the second and ninth holes, and then finished strongly with three birdies in his final four holes, on the 15th, 16th and 18th. He drove the ball well, averaging 357 yards off the tee, but not particularly accurately as he hit just five of 14 fairways. But het got the ball onto the green well, hitting 15 of 18 greens in regulation.
Dawie van der Walt opened with a three-under 68 as he tries to retain his PGA Tour playing rights, and Daffue had a two-under 69 as he looks to improve his position on the points list to get into position for more starts in the bigger PGA Tour events next season.
