LIV GOLF INDIANAPOLIS

August 20, 2026

Dean Burmester

The Club at Chatham Hills

Southern Guards GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome Dean Burmester of Southern Guards to the media center. Dean, 6-under 64, two back of the lead. Well-played today. How did you feel about the round?

DEAN BURMESTER: Yeah, obviously super stoked today. I've gone through a little bit of a lull of late. I don't feel like I've been playing that badly, but it feels like golf has been kicking my ass a little bit, and sometimes that's what happens. You have your ups and downs.

I'm super proud of today. I've got a brand new putter in the bag. I actually bought it at PGA TOUR Superstore, so bought it at the golf shop, which is nice. Something you've got to pay for something for something to pay you back. That was my thinking. And it worked great today, so I'm pretty happy.

Q. As we know, this is also the Team Championship this week; Southern Guards have established a really strong team identity and connection with the South African community. For those that haven't followed the league quite as closely or didn't have a chance to travel to be there on-site in person for the event in March, how much did that event and that experience mean to you all and to the folks back in South Africa?

DEAN BURMESTER: I mean, anybody can probably find the videos online. But I will say this: The National Anthem that got sung on 18, as a team moment, I've never seen four men cry like that. We're a brotherhood. We're really tight, and we're really close. Not only us, our backroom staff, everybody. A lot of them are sitting here right now.

It is such a feeling -- I wish I could explain to everybody. I get goosebumps now just thinking of it, and it's how many months later, and I'll get goosebumps 20 years from now thinking about that and what I had to do to hit a golf ball off that first tee.

I've been in contention in big tournaments all over the world, but I've never had a feeling like that where I was literally shaking with tears in my eyes. I couldn't get the ball on the tee. For us to stand up as four guys and nearly win that thing, just get knocked out at the end, was special. Paul Casey has South African heritage; for him to come over and just say sorry, he was almost apologetic. We didn't have the Cinderella story moment.

But I think it was bigger than that. What we were able to do to golf in South Africa is huge. I'm now kind of like a known name in South Africa, and kids know who I am, which is amazing. I can touch people of all walks of life back home. That's the most important thing, and that's what we want to do.

I think we achieved that, and going forward, hopefully we can achieve more of that.

Q. Dean, you mentioned the stretch between Adelaide and Virginia was pretty good and then you hit the lull, as you said. When that happens, is it frustrating? As you said, you were playing good but you just weren't getting the results. Was it frustrating mentally? How did you deal with it?

DEAN BURMESTER: Yeah, I think I'm still dealing with it. It doesn't just go away overnight. The competitiveness inside me will never go away, but the lack of patience out there is probably what I was missing the most. I was really hard on myself and trying to hit perfect golf shot after perfect golf shot. We know that never happens. Just putting massive pressure on myself and my game for no reason.

I look at what Lucas Herbert was able to do and how great he's been playing of late, and he just looks so carefree. I stand there look at some of the scoring at some of those tournaments and I'm thinking, these guys -- I can't beat these guys right now. I've got to figure something out.

Had a lot of talking with my team and my family back home, and just be grateful for being able to play this game of golf and be able to walk up there and interact with fans and try and smile as much as you can is probably the secret. We all saw in South Africa, if I get involved and I get involved with the fans, I have a good time and I play well. I think that's the secret, and that's what I'm trying to do going forward.

Q. I did want to ask you about having Louis back in the lineup this week. Was his presence felt more inside the ropes or at the braai?

DEAN BURMESTER: I mean, both. The evenings are a lot of fun now. Louis has certainly come into this week with a really relaxed mindset, which is finally -- he hasn't played a tournament in about three months. But he just wanted to be here for us and be here for the Team Championship.

The four of us, like I said before, we're a brotherhood. He's literally got a tear in his back, and it is painful and it's uncomfortable, and he's pushing through. I don't know what he shot today. I haven't had a chance to have a look. But whatever he shot is irrelevant because just being able to finish 18 holes I think is an accomplishment.

We're all behind him, and we all laugh with him and have a good time and laugh at some of the golf shots he's hitting at the moment. He told me on the range he's definitely not hitting a 3-wood off the deck because he thinks he'll hit it on the helmet. He'll avoid that and hit driver off the deck, I think.

It's fun times for sure, but he's a competitor at heart, and he's the nicest guy on the planet. It's just fun having him around.

Q. Dean, given the bond you've formed with your teammates, and you mentioned the event in South Africa, given all that, what's been your perspective on the league's future and the league's potential ability to keep going forward?

DEAN BURMESTER: Look, it's definitely been an uncertain time the last few months, and that's probably played on a lot of guys minds. But we had a great meeting with our investor this week, and I feel it went really well.

The proposed LIV 2.0, whatever you want to call it, I think it's very, very promising and it looks great. I think the model is certainly sustainable, very sustainable. I think it's obviously beneficial from a player perspective because we will own a huge chunk of this league, and it'll be the first player-owned league in the world of any sport, I think. I can't think of any other sport where it is that way.

The trickle-down effect of all of those things is going to do massive things all over the world and for people we can touch nearby, not only just us as South Africans and our bond but our foundation and what we're trying to do back home with kids and trying to protect rhino and wildlife and things like that, it's massive.

It's not just about golf; I think golf is just a part of life. All of this is way bigger than life, and it's probably above my pay grade. But it was a really positive meeting, and long may it continue.

Q. Obviously it sounds like you're committed to whatever the version of LIV becomes. Have you tried to play a role in trying to get other guys on board across teams?

DEAN BURMESTER: Look, I think everybody has the right to make their own decision. I think once you know the facts, then you can make an informed decision, and I don't think -- whether you're on this side or that side, I don't think anybody can think badly of anybody else. I think coming here, that certainly happened from that side, and a lot of guys got given a lot of stick for coming over here. I don't think we're going to do it to our own guys. If they want to go back, if certain people do want to go back, if that does happen, then that's their decision and they can do it. But for me, I feel like I've got to focus on what I want to do and what I can do in the game of golf and the best thing I can do for my family. So that's number one.

Q. Obviously you know we've got the greatest rivalry tour starting this Saturday; it's the Springboks taking on the All Blacks. Just your message to the Springboks as they get ready to play at a sold-out Ellis Park?

DEAN BURMESTER: Before I give the Springboks a message, I was out with Sam and Cam today, Cam obviously being Australian, but Sam, his caddie, is a New Zealander so he's a big All Black fan. So there was a bit of banter out there today and a lot of laughs. We were talking about a lot of strategy between the teams; certainly in the center area and the flank area could be very interesting. I think there will be some amazing matchups.

But if I have to give a message straight down the lens to the Springboks, all I've got to say is, Boys, we're behind you 110 percent. South Africa is behind you. Let's go and beat these All Blacks. Let's show them who the No. 1 team in the world is, and let's make this the greatest rivalry and make it something for kids to want to do and going in the future. We're super proud of you boys, and can't wait to watch it.

Q. Just in terms of the course and what you're expecting for the rest of the weekend, we would just like to know that. I know we've got rugby going on and all the gees, but can we please know what's going on on the course.

DEAN BURMESTER: Box and banter (laughing).

Q. What are you expecting for the rest of the weekend?

DEAN BURMESTER: Look, it is so soft out there. I feel sorry for the superintendents, but I also feel sorry for a lot of families who were affected by some floods. I know a lot of people got evicted. Some people actually lost their lives with the amount of rain that was here. That's just a sad thing.

This golf course has taken a hammering. I'm not going to lie out there; there's certain greens that are basically mud. But in saying that, they've done an amazing job of getting us out there and giving us a golf course we can play on. It was pretty much in as good a condition as I could have ever imagined it sitting outside at dinner and watching that rain come down last night. So kudos to everybody.

It looks like we're going to have good weather the rest of the week, so it'll firm up a bit and it'll play a bit better. I'm excited. There will be a lot of birdies, and it'll be very exciting, so come out and watch.