Joaquin Niemann on Friday on the first gap at Camaleon Golf Course.
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Let’s start right here by going blow-by-blow. Pulling again the curtain, we strive our greatest to keep away from prose that sounds kinda like white noise — ‘Player makes birdie and plays well’ — however on this case, the participant, Joaquin Niemann, made some historical past on Friday, and that’s value some element. But there was additionally an admission at Friday’s finish, and perhaps the easiest way to set it up is to border it the way in which Niemann noticed it, which was principally shot after shot, gap after gap.
OK, right here goes.
Niemann birdied the par-4 third gap on the par-71 Camaleon Golf Course in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, his second gap of the day, in the course of the first spherical of LIV Golf’s season opener. He hit his second shot to 4 ft. It was good.
There’s extra.
Niemann birdied the 4th. He hit his tee shot on the par-3 to five ft. It was good.
There’s extra.
Niemann birdied the fifth. From simply off the inexperienced on the par-5, he putted to a foot. It was good.
There’s extra.
Niemann birdied the sixth. He hit his second shot to 7 ft. It was good.
There’s extra.
Niemann birdied the seventh. And the ninth. And the tenth. His first 9 holes have been executed. They have been good.
There’s extra.
Niemann eagled the 11th. This was good. From the green on the par-4, he one-hopped his strategy into the outlet. Only he didn’t fairly see it. He mouthed: “In?” He regarded to his proper. He ultimately acquired the sign. In. He smiled. He high-fived his caddie.
There’s extra.
Niemann birdied the thirteenth. He did so on a 7-foot putt. It was good.
There’s extra.
Niemann birdied the fifteenth. On the par-3, he hit his tee shot to five ft. It was good.
There’s extra.
Niemann birdied the 17th. After hitting his tee shot into the tough on the par-4, he hit his second shot to six ft. It was good.
Wait.
How many freaking birdies and eagles was that? Afterward, he mentioned he was considering the identical factor. Ten birdies. One eagle. And what was par right here? That was listed all the way in which again in paragraph three of this story! So, let’s do the maths. Actually, for Niemann, some of us already had. On 18, they have been shouting.
You’re 12-under!
Par is 71!
You’re on the doorstep of golf’s magic quantity! A 59! Only 12 have executed that mixed on the PGA Tour and LPGA. Or perhaps you are able to do higher! Only two have shot a 58 — Jim Furyk in 2016 on the PGA Tour, and Bryson DeChambeau final yr on LIV. You nonetheless have two holes left!
Niemann parred the 18th, his penultimate gap. He parred the 1st, his final gap.
He had the 59. He waved to the gang. He shook palms with enjoying companions Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson. He signed his card. On-course announcer Dom Boulet came over. He requested what taking pictures the quantity meant to him.
“I actually just realized that,” Nieman mentioned.
There’s extra.
“I was really in the zone,” he mentioned. “I mean, I was playing great and I said to myself, I just want to keep doing the same.”
There’s extra.
“Until I got to the 18th and people started shouting at me, go for the 58, I was like, s**t, it’s par-71.”
…
Really?
“I think I got to 12 [under], I didn’t realize if it was 72 or 71 and I didn’t want to do the math,” he mentioned.
“I used to be identical to, all proper, I don’t give a s**t, I’m simply going to maintain doing what I’m doing.
“And then on 18, I began — yeah, individuals began saying, go for the 58, and I used to be like [clenches teeth]. No. 1 is a tough one, however yeah, I hit a good shot after which not my greatest wedge shot there.
“But yeah, I was able to be under 60, which that was pretty cool.”
