Overview
Torque GC spent its first season continually searching for – and adjusting – its identity. Twelve different players made at least one appearance, led by three different captains. Five different lineups were used, none more than two times. Two significant roster overhauls were made. The first transformed Torque into a team consisting entirely of players from Japan. The second pulled players from four continents. Unfortunately, none of the lineups could get Torque onto the podium in the seven regular season events, and the season ended with a quarterfinals loss at the Team Championship.
The good news is that the captaincy is in terrific hands with Chilean star Joaquin Niemann, who joined LIV Golf prior to Boston. He immediately established himself as one of the league's top players while providing a significant amount of gravitas for his team. Other players showed flashes, but no consistency. In fact, Torque's two best team results came before Niemann's arrival. While there is plenty of room to improve, at least the top of the lineup is established.
Roster Movement
Talor Gooch began the year as the Torque GC captain, drafting Adrian Otaegui, Hudson Swafford and Andy Ogletree for the team in London. That lineup lasted one event, as Gooch transferred to 4 Aces GC and Swafford to Niblicks GC as part of a complete Torque makeover. For Portland and Bedminster, Torque GC fielded the all-Japan team of captain Hideto Tanihara, Ryosuke Kinoshita, Jinichiro Kozuma and Yuki Inamori. Another overhaul was made prior to Boston, as Joaquin Niemann became Torque's third and final captain. His first lineup included Otaegui, Scott Vincent and Jediah Morgan. David Puig replaced Otaegui in Chicago. Tanihara replaced Puig for the final two regular season events. Otaegui then rejoined the team for a third time in Miami, replacing Tanihara
| Player | Torque GC starts |
|---|---|
Joaquin Niemann | 5 |
Scott Vincent | 5 |
Jediah Morgan | 5 |
Hideto Tanihara | 4 |
Adrian Otaegui | 3 |
Ryosuke Kinoshita | 2 |
Jinichiro Kozuma | 2 |
Yuki Inamori | 2 |
Talor Gooch | 1 |
David Puig | 1 |
Andy Ogletree | 1 |
Hudson Swafford | 1 |
Top Moments
TEAM: The closest that Torque GC came to finishing in the money during the regular season was in Portland, the first LIV Golf event held in the U.S. With the all-Japan team making its debut, Torque found itself in a tight battle with the all-Spanish speaking Fireballs GC. After all four Torque players finished, the two teams were tied for third at 11 under. But then Fireballs' Carlos Ortiz, playing in the final group, made a birdie on the 18th hole to break the tie, forcing Torque to settle for fourth. Torque never got closer to the money the rest of the season.
INDIVIDUAL: Joaquin Niemann was spectacular in Boston in his first LIV start as Torque's captain. He opened with a 6-under 64, then followed with rounds of 65-66 to finish regulation at 15 under. That was good enough to get him into LIV's first playoff against Dustin Johnson and Anirban Lahiri. Although Johnson won with a spectacular eagle on the first playoff hole, Niemann's third-place finish was the best recorded by any Torque golfer in 2022.
MVP
JOAQUIN NIEMANN. Not only did his arrival solidify the top of the lineup, Niemann also provided top-shelf performances. Of his 12 regular-season rounds, his score counted 11 times, and his scoring average of 67.5 was the best of any Torque player. He had the best three individual finishes (3rd place in Boston and Jeddah, 5th place in Chicago) and shot the lowest single round (64 in Boston) of any Torque player. In the quarterfinals of the Team Championship, he delivered the only point, a 5 & 3 win in singles over Cleeks replacement player Shergo Al Kurdi.
Others considered: Scott Vincent provided seven straight counting scores after joining Torque ... Jediah Morgan was 15 under in his last six regular rounds and posted a scoring average of 69.75 in his 12 rounds for Torque.
Regular Season Counting Scores
LONDON (-3), 4th place
Rd. 1: Otaegui 70, Gooch 71
Rd. 2: Gooch 70, Otaegui 70
Rd. 3: Otaegui 68, Gooch 69, Swafford 69
PORTLAND (-11), 4th place
Rd. 1: Tanihara 69, Kozuma 71
Rd. 2: Kozuma 69, Kinoshita 71
Rd. 3: Kozuma 70, Inamori 71, Tanihara 72
BEDMINSTER (+10), 12th place
Rd. 1: Kozuma 69, Inamori 70
Rd. 2: Kozuma 75, Kinoshita 76
Rd. 3: Tanihara 71, Kozuma 73, Kinoshita 73
BOSTON (-25), 5th place
Rd. 1: Niemann 64, Vincent 70
Rd. 2: Niemann 65, Vincent 66
Rd. 3: Morgan 65, Niemann 66, Vincent 69
CHICAGO (-14), 7th place
Rd. 1: Vincent 70, Niemann 71
Rd. 2: Niemann 69, Vincent 71
Rd. 3: Niemann 68, Vincent 70, Morgan 71
BANGKOK (-18), 12th place
Rd. 1: Morgan 67, Vincent 70, Tanihara 70
Rd. 2: Morgan 69, Niemann 71, Tanihara 72
Rd. 3: Niemann 65, Morgan 72, Vincent 74
JEDDAH (-20), 6th place
Rd. 1: Tanihara 65, Morgan 67, Niemann 68
Rd. 2: Niemann 66, Morgan 68, Vincent 71
Rd. 3: Niemann 65, Morgan 68, Tanihara 72
Team Championship
QUARTERFINALS: Lost to Cleeks GC, 2-1
Niemann def. Al Kurdi, 5 & 3
Morgan lost to Canter, 1 up
Vincent/Otaegui lost to McDowell/Bland, 2 up
Prize earnings: $1,000,000
By The Numbers
6 – Top 10 individual finishes by Torque players (Otaegui 6th, Gooch 9th in London; Kozuma 6th in Portland; Niemann 3rd in Boston, 5th in Chicago, 3rd in Jeddah)
6 – Countries represented by Torque players this season (Australia, Chile, Japan, Spain, United States, Zimbabwe)
12 – Total players appearing in the Torque lineup for 2022
64 – Lowest score shot by any Torque player during the regular season (Niemann, Rd. 1 in Boston)
67.5 – Joaquin Niemann's scoring average for his 12 regular season rounds
69.75 – Jediah Morgan's scoring average for his 12 regular season rounds for Torque
70.33 – Scott Vincent's scoring average for his 12 regular season rounds for Torque
70.5 – Adrian Otaegui's scoring average for his six regular season rounds for Torque
71.036 – Scoring average for all Torque GC players during the seven regular season events (course average was 71.0)
72.17 – Hideto Tanihara's scoring average for his nine regular season rounds for Torque
91 – Greens hit in regulation by Joaquin Niemann in his first 108 holes played in LIV Golf
206 – Torque's counting score total for the final round in London, the second lowest total of the day (behind winner Stinger GC's 205) and best one-day performance for Torque relative to the other 11 teams
Everybody here is talking about the team format that I always grew up playing when I was in Chile. My junior career I always played team events, and it was something which really drives me to be a better person, a better golfer and push the limits on the golf course. ... The team format was one of the biggest things that motivates me and drives me.
- JOAQUIN NIEMANN ON LIV GOLF'S TEAM COMPETITION