Joaquin Niemann additional underlined why the Masters committee discovered it inside themselves to concern the 25-year-old Chilean with a particular invitation to play at Augusta subsequent month when he ran away with the LIV Golf League’s occasion in Saudi Arabia.
The league’s homecoming occasion to the nation which is funding its very existence failed to attract a lot of a crowd, however that didn’t appear to overly trouble Neimann as he swept to a different $4m pay day after ending on 17 underneath par for 54 holes in Jeddah.
Niemann shot a ultimate spherical 66 on Sunday to assert a four-stroke victory and add to his earlier triumph in final month’s season-opening event in Mexico. Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel tied for second, with the latter having fun with his greatest end since profitable the inaugural occasion at Centurion Membership in England in June 2022 beta-test season, whereas Oosthuizen equalled his greatest outcome as a LIV golfer.
The 2 victories within the first three occasions of 2024 moved Neimann to the highest of the season-long particular person championship standings and continued his scorching play that started in the course of the LIV Golf low season when he received the Australian Open.
“It’s in all probability my greatest second, one of the best I’ve ever performed earlier than,” Niemann mentioned. “I simply need it to maintain getting into the identical course. I need to really feel, and I need to assume, that I’m one of the best on a regular basis. I feel that’s the one approach to be assured and play good golf.”
CRUSHERS COMEBACK
Within the group occasion, Crushers, winner of final season’s group championship, claimed their first title of 2024 with a dramatic comeback on Sunday. Beginning the ultimate spherical 11 pictures adrift of the leaders, captain Bryson DeChambeau (62) and his group of Charles Howell III (64) and Anirban Lahiri (65) and Paul Casey (69) mixed to shoot 20 underneath for the day – eight pictures higher than every other group – to complete at 38 underneath for a four-stroke victory over the Stingers, with Smash GC, winners of the earlier occasion in Las Vegas, ending third.
KIM LIMPS HOME LAST
On the backside finish of the scoreboard, new LIV signing Antony Kim completed his week stone final of people who accomplished three rounds. After a close to 12-year retirement, the 38-year-old American carded his greatest rating of the week on Sunday with a 4-over 74 so as to add to earlier rounds of 76 for a 16 over whole.
Whereas the rust was evident, Kim mentioned he has loads to construct on as he prepares for his subsequent begin at LIV Golf Hong Kong. I’m very inspired,” Kim mentioned. “I’m enthusiastic about what’s coming. My sport is beginning to form up. I’m doing issues that I used to do earlier than.
“I positively performed lots higher than the rating truly confirmed,” Kim mentioned of his ultimate spherical. “I felt extra comfy as we speak than I did the primary two days. I shot 4-over par, but it surely may have been an under-par spherical if I had simply cleaned up a number of issues. Sadly, it’s nonetheless taking me a pair holes to get comfy. I feel most of my over-par scores have been on the primary six holes. If I can simply determine a approach to get my thoughts proper earlier than I get on the market, I feel I’ll be in nice form.”
