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Golf Monthly

Sport

Jonny Leighfield

LIV Golfers At US Open Qualifying: Joaquin Niemann Misses Out As Dean Burmester And David Puig's Great Runs Continue

David Puig Dean Burmester Joaquin Niemann LIV (Organization) Golf LIV Golf US Open Open Florida Eugenio Chacarra

Main image of Joaquin Niemann looking down and touching his face while two small images to the left show David Puig (below) and Dean Burmester (above) smiling.

The third men's Major of the season is fast approaching and the full field is all but finalized for the 2024 US Open.

156 golfers will tee it up at Pinehurst No.2 next week, with each hoping to etch their respective names into the history books via victory in one of golf's greatest championships.

Yet, only three of the 17 LIV Golf League players who attempted US Open qualifying this week have made it through and will have a chance to do so. 35 LIV players out of the 47 who are not already otherwise exempt were set to enter final qualifying in 2024.

10 North American sites hosted 'Golf's Longest Day' on Monday, with three locations around the world having already held qualifying events two weeks ago. 44 spots were available on Monday, on top of the 23 previously clinched places.

One of those players who was already able to start planning for a week in North Carolina was LIV Golf's Eugenio Chacarra after he qualified a fortnight ago in Texas alongside nine others - including Francesco Molinari and SH Kim.

Spain's Eugenio Chacarra (Image credit: Getty Images)

And on Monday, he was joined by David Puig and Dean Burmester following successful 36-hole stints for the pair.

A member of Fireballs GC, Puig secured one of four spots at Lake Merced in Daly City, California by carding a remarkable 12-under score which featured a bogey-free afternoon round of eight-under.

It was Puig's second successive year making it through US Open qualifying in California after securing his first Major start at Los Angeles' Hillcrest Country Club last year.

Meanwhile, Burmester teed it up in an extremely competitive field at The Bear's Club in Jupiter, Florida but managed to maintain his fine streak of form via a six-under total and pick up one of the five available tee times at Pinehurst.

The South African's story was a little more chaotic than Puig's, though, with a wild second round of 70 (two-under) that featured seven birdies, three bogeys, and a double. Burmester had earlier put himself in a strong position courtesy of a bogey-free 68.

Stinger GC's Dean Burmester (Image credit: Getty Images)

Both players have enjoyed excellent recent spells on the golf course and are able to boast multiple victories between them as well as a handful of strong results otherwise.

Burmester won two titles in his home country on the DP World Tour just before Christmas, one of which was the Joburg Open, as well as LIV Golf Miami in April - while Puig picked up the Malaysian Open earlier this year.

The two Open triumphs - as well as their recent US Open qualification - will ensure that the pair play three of the four men's Majors this season off the back of them both receiving special invites to play at May's PGA Championship.

Puig, Burmester, and Chacarra will join fellow LIV players; Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Cameron Smith, Phil Mickelson, Tyrrell Hatton, and Adrian Meronk in the US Open field next week with those mentioned already exempt.

On the flip side, it was not to be for Joaquin Niemann, who became arguably the most high-profile name to miss out on Monday. Sergio Garcia had already failed to qualify at the Texas location a fortnight ago, but the Chilean's failure was even more surprising given his recent form.

Joaquin Niemann (Image credit: Getty Images)

LIV's individual points leader for 2024 finished on two-under in Florida alongside Crusher GC's Anirban Lahiri - one stroke outside of a playoff for the remaining spot - following a double bogey midway through his closing back-nine.

There was similar pain for Legion XIII's Kieran Vincent and Lucas Herbert of Ripper GC at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland after both ended one shot away from taking part in a playoff for the last of three places. Herbert claimed the first alternate spot at that site while Vincent will have to hope for several drop-outs if he is to make it to Pinehurst as the second alternate.

While 17 LIV players began US Open qualifying on Monday, several withdrew before the end anyway after slipping out of contention. Mito Pereira had already pulled out ahead of qualifying, while Talor Gooch had previously stated he would not even take part.

Those to WD once qualifying began included Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Peter Uihlein, and Matt Jones.

The LIV Golf League continues the second half of its season with LIV Golf Houston this weekend.

672 players competing for the final 44 spots in the 124th #USOpen.Coverage of Golf's Longest Day is LIVE now on @GolfChannel! pic.twitter.com/R6KZ21Kbf2June 3, 2024