[Photo: Kate McShane]
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.
RELATED: ‘Not proud of it’ – Joaquin Niemann on the club throw that cost him two shots
Niemann, who did not complete his opening round on Thursday before darkness forced the suspension of play, hit two shots out-of-bounds at the sixth, finally putting one in play with his fifth stroke. He hit his sixth shot before the horn blew to suspend play.
He returned on Friday morning and made an 11, which looked rather confusing on his Shot Tracker on usopen.com:
After his finished his round, the USGA cleared up the confusion. Niemann was given a two-stroke penalty for “throwing a club” at the sixth during round one. “This act was determined to be serious misconduct under Rule 1.2b,” the USGA wrote in a note to the media.
That explains the “Shot 7: Penalty” and “Shot 8: Penalty” on Niemann’s Shot Tracker, which were assessed where Niemann hit his sixth shot on Thursday evening, which is where the club throw must have happened. There is no video evidence… yet.
In 2019, the USGA adopted a new “Code of Conduct” rule, Rule 1.2b, that had two bullet points:
- Sets the Committee’s own standards for how players should conduct themselves, and
- May set penalties less than disqualification (such as a one-stroke penalty or a two-stroke penalty/loss of hole penalty) for a player’s breach of those standards.
Whatever Niemann did, it met this criteria. He wound up shooting a 78 in round one yet rebounded to birdie seven holes in a second-round 65 that has the former Australian Open champion three-over after 36 holes and inside the cut line.
When asked for further clarification on Rule 1.2b, the USGA said this:
“Serious Misconduct: If a player’s (or their caddie’s) behaviour is so far removed from what is expected in the spirit of the game of golf, in accordance with Rule 1.2b, the chief referee, in consultation with the championship director, may apply a penalty of two strokes or disqualification, taking account of the frequency, impact, intent and severity of the misconduct.”
On Friday, The Athletic talked to Tristan Chang, a US Open volunteer who said he witnessed the incident. According to The Athletic story, Chang said that after Niemann’s fifth shot found the native area, he spoke to a rules offical in hopes of getting a relief from fire ants near his ball. Chang said Niemann was not granted the relief and was upset about it. Niemann proceeded, according to Chang, to kick the flag that had been marking the ball, kick the grass and throw his club at least 50 yards.
“It was a pretty impressive throw, actually,” Chang told The Athletic.
The bizarre moment echoed increasing concerns about the code of conduct at golf’s highest-profile events. Outbursts by the likes of Robert MacIntyre and Sergio Garcia at the Masters in April drew official reprimands and calls for stricter behavioural standards on the golf course.
