Joaquin Niemann (proper) is extra optimistic than ever about LIV’s main championship hopes.
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As soon as upon a time, Joaquin Niemann anxious about his variety of main begins in 2024.
However by Friday afternoon on the Open Championship, a brand new fear had firmly supplanted that: His variety of main championship pictures.
“Truly, no. I used to be going to start out counting what I did, however I simply stopped and I didn’t rely,” Niemann stated Friday afternoon with a low giggle. “I simply noticed the scoreboard on the following gap.”
Joaquin was speaking, in fact, about his quintuple-bogey 8 on the famed eighth gap at Royal Troon, named “Postage Stamp.” He was one in every of many golfers who made a multitude of the enduring brief par-3 throughout Open weekend, and one in every of only some who managed to proper the ship in his spherical after the carnage had ended.
Niemann, nonetheless solely 25, is one in every of golf’s finest children for his resilience. Resilience is what landed him a spot within the professional golf ranks regardless of hailing from a rustic (Chile) with 60 whole golf programs. It’s what introduced him to PGA Tour success earlier than he was sufficiently old to drink. And it’s what has allowed him now, as one in every of LIV Golf’s highest-profile signees, to proceed qualifying for golf’s main championships regardless of sustaining none of his extra senior counterparts’ exemption standing.
It hasn’t been simple. Niemann has been compelled to play begins all around the world to show to golf’s governing our bodies that he deserves a spot within the majors, pegging it at tournaments in Oman, Dubai and Australia along with a full schedule on LIV. Luckily, golf’s governing our bodies have listened, granting Niemann particular exemptions into the Masters (a rarity) and PGA Championship along with the chance to qualify for the U.S. and Open championships.
Niemann made essentially the most of these alternatives in ’24, qualifying into all however the U.S. Open and making the lower at every. However now, as he winds down from the top of main season at LIV’s UK occasion, he says he’s anticipating his main championship qualifying life getting simpler as LIV and the PGA Tour head into the long run.
“I consider that it’s going to occur,” he stated. “I really feel like they’ve received to tug for one of the best of the sport, and I believe that’s the best technique to do it, hopefully give us some spots out right here on LIV and have one of the best gamers in there.”
In fact, the problem of LIV gamers incomes exemptions into the foremost championships is a hornet’s nest of its personal. A (temporary) abstract: LIVers don’t get into the majors as a result of they’re not a part of the Official World Golf Rating; LIV will not be within the OWGR as a result of they failed to fulfill the governing physique’s aggressive standards; after a protracted authorized battle, LIV withdrew its personal utility to the OWGR in one thing of a you-can’t-fire-me-I-quit transfer.
Which means LIV’s non-exempt gamers are ineligible from the majors, which, as many have identified, is one thing gamers like Niemann knew was a risk after they signed an enormous contract with LIV. Maybe that makes it truthful that Niemann, clearly one in every of golf’s finest gamers, might play an incomplete main schedule in 2025. However he certain doesn’t assume so.
“Yeah, it’s irritating, however in the long run, I really feel like I’m pulling arduous for LIV Golf to enhance, and I believe [expanded major championship eligibility] can be one of many ways in which the sport and LIV would enhance,” Niemann stated. “From my aspect personally, I really feel like I’m going to discover a technique to be within the majors, so it doesn’t frustrate me or put me out.”
And the way would change look? Properly, it’s sophisticated. Many LIV gamers have coalesced round the concept the majors might create an computerized exemption class for LIV just like the top-50 exemptions for the OWGR. The LIVers have advised the quantity might be 10 guys, however that raises its personal subsequent set of debates. Why 10? Why not 12? Or eight? Or six? Or 25?
“I’d say prime 10 guys. There’s undoubtedly 10 guys right here that might win majors,” Niemann stated. “Yeah, they will undoubtedly give these 10 spots for us and have extra aggressive majors.”
True as which may be philosophically, it’s more durable to talk about how this stuff will look in actuality. However maybe not for for much longer. At the very least, not in Niemann’s estimation.
“I’m fairly optimistic. I believe it should occur,” he stated. “I used to be the identical means final 12 months. I felt like we had been going to do one thing for this 12 months. It didn’t occur, however I discovered a technique to get into it. I received some invites, which was good.
“I hope so,” he stated. “I really feel extra optimistic for subsequent season.”
If he’s proper, then Joaquin Niemann may need to start out worrying about an entire new quantity.
Ten.
