Joaquin Niemann was assessed a two-stroke penalty in the first round of the US Open for “serious misconduct” at the par-4 sixth hole at Shinnecock Hills.
Amid a cloud of uncertainty for LIV Golf, Joaquin Niemann locked up his reputation as its most dependable star with his eighth career victory coming in South Korea on Sunday courtesy of a clutch approach shot in a playoff.
The Masters is almost here, but not every big name has secured a tee time at Augusta National. From Joaquin Niemann to Rickie Fowler, here are seven well-known players who still need a late push to qualify for the 2026 Masters.
A winner of 20 professional events worldwide, including two on the PGA Tour and seven on LIV Golf, Niemann will be looking to complete the Australian majors double after claiming the Australian Open in 2023.
Niemann has two more individual LIV events to close out the season, for which all signs point towards him winning the season-long points race. He holds a huge lead over Jon Rahm.
Cameron Smith is rejuvenated after strong showing at LIV Golf UK that was only held back by rustiness in his usually elite short game, but the major winner is hungry to finish off the LIV season strong before making his way back to the Australian summer of golf.
The top player not already exempt into the US Open field after the Korea event in early May will qualify. It’s the only major championship this year for which Niemann has not yet qualified.
Phil Mickelson has never shied away from making bold declarations. So his latest, which came in the form of an attention-grabbing reply on X/Twitter overnight, is hardly surprising.
Tour pros swing back and down while keeping the flex in their knees, the tilts in their hips, the bends in their arms and wrists. When you maintain those angles, the swing is more repeatable.
Australian Golf Digest’s Brad Clifton was joined by megastar Bryson DeChambeau for a shortest drive challenge at LIV Golf Adelaide. Watch the hilarious clip below:
Finally, Joaquin Niemann was able to enjoy a tournament victory in Australia without the weight of trying to bag major championship starts from a trip Down Under.
LIV Golf Adelaide evolved into a pulsating duel between two former Australian Open champions. In the end it was Joaquin Niemann who outduelled Abraham Ancer to triumph at The Grange Golf Club.
Australian Golf Digest
