SA's Dean Burmester earns PGA Tour card: 'It's surreal'

South African golfer Dean Burmester was among the 25 golfers to earn his PGA Tour card for the 2022/23 season at the Korn Ferry Tour finals.

Following his tied for fourth at the Albertsons Boise Open and T46th at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship this past weekend, Burmester ensured his first PGA Tour card via The Finals 25.

Burmester, who is currently 69th on the world golf rankings, currently sits seventh in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals with the season-finale Tour Championship at Victoria National GC.

"Man, it's a long road from where I came from. It's surreal. A junior taking up the game fairly late; always played when I was younger, and my parents just dragged me to the golf course on holidays, playing 72 holes a day," Burmester told reporters on Sunday.

"Now I got goosebumps from where I'm going to, number one tour in the world and the best job in the world and I'm just so excited.

"Only when I realised I was in and that I've given myself to be on the PGA Tour. With everything is going on in golf, to have an opportunity to play the greatest tour in the world is super exciting."

Last year, Burmester found his way back to the winner's circle as he clinched the Sunshine Tour's PGA Championship and then claimed his second DP World Tour title at the Tenerife Open in Spain.

Despite not tasting victory this year so far, Burmester captured two runner-up finishes at the Dimension Data Pro-Am and Steyn City Championship.

Burmester then finished T10 at the Scottish Open and earned a career-best finish at a Major when he finished T11 at the 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course.

"To do well in the Scottish Open and the Open, my agent called me up and said, I have enough points to get on the Korn Ferry Finals and I definitely going to play. There's no way, I'm backing down on that," said Burmester.

"So much blood, sweat and tears. There have been good and hard times. My caddie and I have been together for four years and he has been through a lot, caddying for over 17 years and it's the first time he'll be on the PGA Tour."