LIV Golf Miami: Burmester Edges Sergio in OT; Marquee Names Head to Augusta in Questionable Form

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LIV Golf Miami Dean Burmester Wins
Dean Burmester of Stinger GC receives a champagne shower from teammate Louis Oosthuizen after winning the LIV Golf Invitational – Miami at Trump National Doral Miami on April 07, 2024 in Doral, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

MIAMI, FL. – Last year’s Masters was the first tournament where PGA Tour players competed against those who defected to the LIV Golf League. The LIV guys got the better of that one.

Four current LIV players finished one-two-three and a tie for fourth. That spoke well for the Saudi-financed circuit that is now in its third season. Spain’s Jon Rahm will defend his Masters title this week at Georgia’s Augusta National. He won last year when he was still a PGA Tour member.

Rahm hasn’t won an individual title as a LIV member, but team he captains – Legion XIII – won its second title in five starts on Sunday on the rugged Blue Monster course at Trump Doral and Rahm contributed several key putts to that victory. At least that’s some momentum to take into this week’s Masters.

LIV Golf Miami Jon Rahm
Jon Rahm in action during LIV Golf Miami on April 5, 2024 at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, FL. (Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg for Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Knowing a four-stroke lead was slipping away in a tight team battle with Bubba Watson’s RangeGoats, Rahm touched more on a clutch putt he rolled in down the stretch rather than dwell on his individual play.

“I was just trying to two-putt,” Rahm said, “and the putt just kept going. We won by one stroke, so obviously that putt meant more than I had thought it would.”

It also doesn’t hurt that Rahm has been solid, despite not winning by himself. He’s the only LIV player to finish in the top 10 of all five tournaments of 2024. He tied for fourth Sunday, three strokes behind South African Dean Burmester and Spain’s Sergio Garcia.

LIV Golf Miami Dean Burmester Wins
Dean Burmester of Stinger GC and his caddie Jason Reynolds celebrate with the individual trophy after winning the LIV Golf Invitational – Miami at Trump National Doral Miami on April 07, 2024 in Doral, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs via Getty Images)

Burmester took the individual title in a two-hole playoff, the third loss in extra holes for the winless Garcia in LIV play. Burmester and Garcia played the regulation 54 holes in 11-under-par 205. Both failed to par the final holes, necessitating their playoff.

Now the focus is solely on the Masters.

If LIV shows as well at this year’s Masters it’ll likely be because of the players who weren’t so impressive at Augusta last year.

LIV Golf Miami Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson
Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson walk to the next tee off during LIV Golf Miami on April 5, 2024 at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, FL. (Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg for Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Last year LIV also had a Florida tournament the week before the Masters and Brooks Koepka won it at Orlando’s Orange County National – a layout far less challenging than the Blue Monster. Koepka carried that momentum to Augusta and shared second with Phil Mickelson before winning the PGA Championship a month later.

On Sunday both Koepka and Mickelson couldn’t even come close to breaking par, much less contending. That doesn’t speak well for their chances at Augusta, but LIV has 13 players in the invitation-only field. Seven are past Masters champions, including 2020 winner Dustin Johnson, who shot rounds of 70, 71 and 74 to finish T24.

The tourney tees off on Thursday.

Final Top 10
Pos-Player-Score (Final Rd)
1. Dean Burmester -11 (-4)*
2. Sergio Garcia -11 (-2)
3. Matthew Wolff -10 (-3)
4. Marc Leishman -8 (-3)
4. Jon Rahm -8 (-3)
4. Tyrrell Hatton -8 (-1)
7. Bryson DeChambeau -7 (4)
7. Louis Oosthuizen -7 (-1)
9. Abraham Ancer -6 (-4)
9. Thomas Pieters -6 (-3)
9. Joaquin Niemann -6 (-2)
9. Patrick Reed -6 (E)
9. Talor Gooch -6 (+1)

LIV Golf’s Masters Invitees
LIV Golf 2024 Masters Invitees
2024 Masters Invitees: (L-R) (second row) Captain Bryson DeChambeau of Crushers GC, Captain Jon Rahm of Legion XIII GC, Captain Bubba Watson of RangeGoatsGC, Captain Dustin Johnson of 4Aces GC, Captain Phil Mickelson of HyFlyers GC, Captain Brooks Koepka of Smash GC, Adrian Meronk of Cleeks GC, (front row) Tyrrell Hatton of Legion XIII GC, Charl Schwartzel of Stinger GC, Captain Sergio Garcia of Fireballs GC, Patrick Reed of 4Aces GC, Captain Joaquin Niemann of Torque GC and Captain Cameron Smith of Ripper GC pose for a photo during the practice round before the start of LIV Golf Miami on April 3, 2024, at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, FL. (Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Final Tuneup: How They Finished
2. Sergio Garcia -11
4. Jon Rahm -8
4. Tyrrell Hatton -8
7. Bryson DeChambeau -7
9. Joaquin Niemann -6
9. Patrick Reed -6
17. Adrian Meronk -4
24. Dustin Johnson -1
32. Bubba Watson +2
37. Charl Schwartzel +4
45. Brooks Koepka +7
47. Phil Mickelson +8
WD. Cam Smith

LIV Golf’s Masters Champions
LIV Golf Miami Masters winners
Former Masters winners: Captain Jon Rahm of Legion XIII GC (2023), Captain Bubba Watson of RangeGoats GC (2012, 2014), Captain Dustin Johnson of 4Aces GC (2020), Captain Phil Mickelson of HyFlyers GC (2004, 2006, 2010). (Front row) Charl Schwartzel of Stinger GC (2011), Captain Sergio Garcia of Fireballs GC (2017) and Patrick Reed of 4Aces GC (2018) pose for a photo during the practice round before the start of LIV Golf Miami on April 3, 2024, at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, FL. (Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg for Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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