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CHICAGO: South Africa’s Dean Burmester sank a six-foot birdie putt on Sunday’s first playoff hole to beat Spaniards Jon Rahm and Josele Ballester and win the LIV Golf Chicago title.
Burmester, who squandered a two-shot overnight lead with three bogeys to start his round, battled back to shoot a par-71 final round to match Rahm and Ballester on nine-under 204 for 54 holes at Bolingbrook Golf Club.
“This has been emotional,” Burmester said. “Since before Virginia (in June) I’ve been going through a bit of a rough time, personal stuff. I’ve just been grinding and trying to get better, thinking about my wife and my kids back home, and I’m just trying to do the best I can for them.”
At the par-four 18th hole in the playoff, Ballester landed 12 feet from the hole but Burmester, who found the rough off the tee, dropped his approach six feet from the hole while 2024 Chicago winner Rahm’s ball was 10 feet away.
Ballester and Rahm missed their birdie putts and Burmester sank his for the victory.
“After three bogeys in a row to start I was like, fudge, I don’t know where I’m going. My head was nowhere but I just kept at it,” said Burmester.
“To hit that out of the rough and get the right bounce and roll it in — I watched Jon’s go left and I knew I hard to right line — to roll it in in front of everybody that’s here is amazing.”
It was Burmester’s second LIV title after last year in Miami.
Ballester, the 2023 European Amateur and 2024 US Amateur champion who turned professional in June, was in only his seventh pro event at age 21.
Rahm, Ballester, Burmester and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz, who finished fourth, shared the lead at eight-under with three holes remaining.
Burmester birdied the 16th from four feet to seize the solo lead but Ballester sank a four-foot birdie putt at 18 and Rahm made his birdie putt from five feet to force the playoff.
Burmester’s horrid start signaled a final-round shootout, although his birdie at the fifth hole put him one ahead of Rahm at the turn.
Ballester birdied the par-four 10th to match Burmester for the lead and they both birdied the par-five 12th.
Ortiz joined the co-leaders with birdies at the par-three 13th and par-five 14th.
Ballester birdied 14 to seize the lead alone but Rahm birdied 15 to pull within one and when Ballester made bogey there moments later, the Spaniards shared the lead with Ortiz and Burmester.
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, a five-time winner this season, finished on 211 to share 17th but still led the season points standings ahead of defending season champion Rahm entering next week’s final individual event at Indianapolis.
Burmester’s Stinger beat Niemann and Ortiz’s Torque in a playoff for the team title.

LONDON: Crystal Palace twice came from behind to stun a new-look Liverpool and win the Community Shield for the first time on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Wembley on Sunday.

New signings Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong scored for the Premier League champions, but Palace responded through Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr before winning an error-strewn shootout 3-2.

Mohamed Salah blazed over from the spot, while Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott were denied by an inspired Dean Henderson as Palace built on winning their first ever major trophy by beating Manchester City in May’s FA Cup final.

The traditional curtain-raiser to the English football season was given extra significance after a summer marked by tragedy for Liverpool.

Forward Diogo Jota was killed in a car accident alongside his brother Andre Silva.

Reds legend Ian Rush and Palace chairman Steve Parish laid wreaths on the side of the pitch before kick-off, while the Liverpool end was awash with banners and flags paying tribute to the Portuguese international.

A minute’s silence, however, had to be cut short due to disturbances in the crowd.

Jota’s death has dampened the excitement over Liverpool’s transfer spending spree to build on a squad that romped to a record-equaling 20th league title last season.

All four of their new signings at a cost of £260 million ($350 million) — Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Frimpong and Milos Kerkez — started.

Ekitike’s role this season could depend on whether Liverpool are successful in their pursuit of Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.

But the Frenchman — signed from Eintracht Frankfurt last month for an initial £69 million — did his case to be Slot’s preferred No. 9 no harm at all.

Wirtz also bagged his first assist for the Reds when Ekitike spun onto the German’s pass and fired into the far corner just four minutes.

Palace were making their first ever appearance in the fixture but the Eagles again showed their ability to match one of the Premier League’s giants over 90 minutes.

Mateta missed a glorious chance to level when he failed to beat Alisson Becker when one-on-one.

But from the rebound Sarr charged into the box and was tripped by an out-of-sorts Virgil van Dijk.

Mateta coolly sent Alisson the wrong way from the penalty spot to equalize.

Liverpool’s players were sporting a “Forever 20” emblem, referencing Jota’s now-retired shirt number, that they will wear all season.

The Liverpool fans had risen to chant Jota’s name as the game entered the 20th minute when their side retook the lead

Frimpong’s chipped cross caught out Henderson and flew into the far corner.

Ekitike wasted a great chance for his second early in the second half from another Wirtz pass as this time he fired over.

However, Slot’s new-look side are still to find the right balance between attack and defense as has been evidenced during pre-season.

Palace were a constant threat with balls in behind the Reds defense and levelled again 13 minutes from time.

Sarr sped onto Adam Wharton’s through ball and calmly slotted past Alisson for his fourth goal in seven games against Liverpool.

Liverpool also survived a VAR review for a penalty against Mac Allister for handball before the match went to a shootout without extra-time.

Youngster Justin Devenny was the unlikely hero as he blasted the winning spot-kick high past Alisson, showing Salah, Mac Allister and Elliott how it is done.