“Augusta, they make their own decisions” - Dean Burmester takes a jibe at the Masters qualification process after winning LIV Golf Miami

Dean Burmester took a dig at the selection process of the Masters after registering a fabulous victory at the LIV Golf Miami event.

The South African golfer was outstanding with his performance, completing the tournament with a score of under 11 and finishing in a tie with veteran Sergio Garcia. They competed in a playoff, which Dean Burmester won.

Following his triumph, the 34-year-old spoke about the qualification process for Masters, the first Major of the year. The prestigious tournament is just around the corner, and only 13 LIV golfers are eligible to compete in it, which apparently does not include Dean Burmester.

While speaking to the media, the LIV golfer stated that he couldn't comment on the Masters' qualification as the Augusta officials "make their own decisions."

Discussing his qualifications, Dean Burmester said (via Flushing It):

“I can’t say that. Augusta, they make their own decisions. But I feel like I’ve played some of the best golf of my career and I feel like I’ve played against a lot of good players all over the world and won. And this kind of just proves it. Do I wanna be there? For sure. I obviously wanna be there.”

LIV Golf's Jon Rahm will enter the Masters as the defending champion. He triumphed over Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka at last year's tournament to win his second major. Rahm was a part of the PGA Tour at that time before later signing a deal with LIV Golf.

The other LIV golfers who will tee off this week at the Masters 2024 are Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, and Phil Mickelson. Additionally, Tyrrell Hatton, Joaquin Niemann, Adrian Meronk, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, and Cam Smith have also secured their spot at the Major.

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Did Dean Burmester ever play at the Masters?

Dean Burmester has played in Majors previously; however, he is still seeking to make his debut at the Masters. His best finish at the PGA Championship was recorded in 2023 when he finished in 54th place, while he settled in a tie for 56th position at the US Open.

His best performance in the three Majors he played was recorded at The Open Championship when he tied for 11th place in 2022.

Notably, most of the LIV golfers who secured their spot at the Masters qualified either based on their Official World Golf Ranking or by winning previous events. However, Niemann earned an exemption to compete in the event as he received an invitation from the officials.

On Sunday, April 7th, besides Dean Burmester, Akshay Bhatia won the Valero Texas Open to book his place in the Masters.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from Thursday, April 11th, to Sunday, April 14th, at Augusta National Golf Course.