Joaquin Niemann (proper) is extra optimistic than ever about LIV’s major championship hopes.
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Once upon a time, Joaquin Niemann fearful about his variety of major begins in 2024.
But by Friday afternoon on the Open Championship, a brand new fear had firmly supplanted that: His variety of major championship photographs.
“Actually, no. I was going to start counting what I did, but I just stopped and I didn’t count,” Niemann mentioned Friday afternoon with a low chortle. “I just saw the scoreboard on the next hole.”
Joaquin was speaking, after all, about his quintuple-bogey 8 on the famed eighth gap at Royal Troon, named “Postage Stamp.” He was one among many golfers who made a multitude of the long-lasting brief par-3 throughout Open weekend, and one among only some who managed to proper the ship in his spherical after the carnage had ended.
Niemann, nonetheless solely 25, is one among golf’s finest kids for his resilience. Resilience is what landed him a spot in the professional golf ranks regardless of hailing from a rustic (Chile) with 60 total golf courses. It is 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 among LIV Golf’s highest-profile signees, to proceed qualifying for golf’s major 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 in the majors, pegging it at tournaments in Oman, Dubai and Australia in addition to a full schedule on LIV. Fortunately, golf’s governing our bodies have listened, granting Niemann particular exemptions into the Masters (a rarity) and PGA Championship in addition to 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 minimize at every. But now, as he winds down from the top of major season at LIV’s UK occasion, he says he’s anticipating his major championship qualifying life getting simpler as LIV and the PGA Tour head into the longer term.
“I believe that it’s going to happen,” he mentioned. “I feel like they’ve got to pull for the best of the game, and I think that’s the right way to do it, hopefully give us some spots out here on LIV and have the best players in there.”
Of course, the difficulty of LIV players incomes exemptions into the major championships is a hornet’s nest of its personal. A (transient) abstract: LIVers don’t get into the majors as a result of they’re not a part of the Official World Golf Ranking; LIV just isn’t in the OWGR as a result of they failed to satisfy the governing physique’s aggressive standards; after a protracted authorized battle, LIV withdrew its personal software to the OWGR in one thing of a you-can’t-fire-me-I-quit transfer.
That means LIV’s non-exempt players are ineligible from the majors, which, as many have identified, is one thing players like Niemann knew was a chance after they signed an enormous contract with LIV. Perhaps that makes it honest that Niemann, clearly one among golf’s finest players, may play an incomplete major schedule in 2025. But he certain doesn’t assume so.
“Yeah, it’s frustrating, but in the end, I feel like I’m pulling hard for LIV Golf to improve, and I think [expanded major championship eligibility] would be one of the ways that the game and LIV would improve,” Niemann mentioned. “From my side personally, I feel like I’m going to find a way to be in the majors, so it doesn’t frustrate me or put me out.”
And how would change look? Well, it’s sophisticated. Many LIV players have coalesced round the concept the majors may create an automated exemption class for LIV much like the top-50 exemptions for the OWGR. The LIVers have recommended 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 would say top 10 guys. There’s definitely 10 guys here that could win majors,” Niemann mentioned. “Yeah, they can definitely give those 10 spots for us and have more competitive majors.”
True as that could be philosophically, it’s more durable to talk about how these items will look in actuality. But maybe not for for much longer. At least, not in Niemann’s estimation.
“I’m pretty optimistic. I think it will happen,” he mentioned. “I used to be the identical manner final yr. I felt like we had been going to do one thing for this yr. It didn’t occur, however I discovered a method to get into it. I acquired some invites, which was good.
“I hope so,” he mentioned. “I feel more optimistic for next season.”
If he’s proper, then Joaquin Niemann may need to begin worrying about an entire new quantity.
Ten.
