Dean Burmester has his eyes firmly set on maintaining his fine recent form at this week’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters as he targets a dream debut appearance at The Masters Tournament, the first Major of the 2022 DP World Tour season.
The South African arrives at the Doha Golf Club at a career-high 64th in the Official World Golf Rankings after a second-place finish in last week’s Steyn City Championship.
Two-time DP World Tour winner Burmester is already assured of competing at The Open and the US PGA Championship later this year, but will likely need to at least match his performance to get into the field at Augusta needs to be among the top 50 players not already qualified when the rankings are updated on Monday.
Victory this week will guarantee his spot at the Masters, while second outright should be enough to qualify albeit results at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play could still deny him.
“It’s something you can’t not think about,” he said. “When you’re on the golf course you just try and stay process-driven; one shot at a time, it is cliché because everyone says it, but as a little boy that’s the one Major you want to go and play.
“You see everyone wearing that Green Jacket and you’re standing on the putting green with the lights on at seven-years-old and you’re making a putt to win the Masters and beat Tiger Woods.
“If it does go my way and I happen to win or whatever it takes, that’ll be great.”
Starting the final round four shots off the lead, Burmester threatened to clinch a brilliant triumph on home soil as he moved into a two-shot lead, before a double bogey at the 17th eventually put pay to his hopes of victory.
A week earlier, he finished tied-18th at the MyGolfLifeOpen hosted by Pecanwood, signalling he might be timing his bid perfectly to qualify for The Masters.
“I’ve been playing solid. I take a lot of positives out of that. I was tied for the lead with two holes to go, had a chance to win a tournament on Sunday and that’s what we practice for really.
"I’m here in Qatar trying to do it again.”
Such is the possible reward for another impressive performance, Burmester is aware battling his own demands will be one of his most challenging tasks, especially with gusty conditions forecasted for the weekend.
“I’m trying to be a little easier on myself.
"I know guys talk about it in the commentary box, I tend to be hard on myself and it’s very true, but it’s something I’m working on and it’s a constant battle but if I can be easy on myself, I know we’re going to have some tricky conditions, then I’ll be all right."
The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters first took place on the DP World Tour schedule in 1998 and was held at the Doha Golf Club up until 2019, prior to a two-year stay at Education City Golf Club.
Now, on it's return, players face a new challenge after major course renovations, including the double green on holes 9 and 18.
"The course is in great nick. They’ve re-laid the greens, all the surfaces, the fairways, the rough is up a little bit, it will make for good viewing, that’s for sure."
