SINGAPORE RECAP: SENTOSA DISAPPOINTMENT FOR STINGERS AFTER A PROMISING TEAM START
SINGAPORE – The Stingers were brimming with confidence when they arrived at Sentosa Golf Club, having produced superb golf the previous week at LIV Golf Adelaide where they produced the lowest collective score in the final round.
Although the all-South African combination were agonizingly beaten in a playoff for the team title in Adelaide by Ripper GC, they seemed to be on track for another highly successful week when they finished the first round of LIV Golf Singapore in a tie for third place.
Long-hitting Dean Burmester, LIV Golf's individual champion in Miami just a month earlier, and team captain Louis Oosthuizen both opened with 4-under 67s while Branden Grace weighed in with a 69.
However, the Stingers were unable to maintain that momentum over the next two days on a Sentosa layout known for low scoring. Only Oosthuizen dipped under 70 in the second round, shooting a 69, as his team matched Torque GC for the highest aggregate score on the day, posting a 4-under total.
The Stingers fared little better in the final round, producing an aggregate total of 5-under that was joint eighth best on Sunday, and the team ended up in a disappointing 10th spot out of 13 at 19-under.
Burmester was the best performer at Sentosa, tying for 14th at 8-under after closing with a 68. Oosthuizen finished 23rd at 6-under after carding a 71, Grace shared 32nd place at 3-under after returning a 69 and Schwartzel would up joint 35th at 2-under, after signing off with a 71.
Ironically, the Stingers' performance in Singapore matched their effort at the same venue the previous year, when they also finished 10th in the team standings.
Although they collectively produced five scores in the sixties over the three days of competition at the 2023 LIV Golf Singapore, that was not good enough for success after a week of low scoring on The Serapong.
Captain Oosthuizen performed best, securing 18th place at 8-under 205, but Schwartzel (34th spot), Burmester (42nd) and Grace (43rd) all ended up in the bottom third on the individual leaderboard.
Despite a second disappointing year in a row in Singapore, the Stinger can still reflect on a largely successful 2024 season.
In their first seven starts this year, they have finished fifth at LIV Golf Mayakoba, 12th at LIV Golf Las Vegas, second at LIV Golf Jeddah, ninth at LIV Golf Hong Kong, third at LIV Golf Miami and second at LIV Golf Adelaide.
They currently occupy fifth spot in the season-long team standings and firmly believe that at least one team title will be won this year if they keep producing the same quality of golf.
"All four guys are playing well enough to contend any week so as long as we can put consistent rounds together on a Sunday, then we will have a chance," said Burmester. "It's just about sticking to your own game and knowing that three or four under by each player in the final round will get the job done. It's not super special but as long as all four of you play pretty solid, then you are going to do well."