EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT TORQUE’S NIEMANN

HONG KONG – The conversation Wednesday between two of LIV Golf’s biggest stars centered on Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann and his rise during the last three months to become one of professional golf’s top players.

Jon Rahm: “He’s just doing what we all need to do, which is basically hit it where we want to more often and make the putts.”

Bryson DeChambeau: “It’s pretty simple.”

Rahm: “If anything, what I would notice it seems like when he wants to, he’s got a couple extra miles on the swing whenever he needs to.”

DeChambeau: “And shot-shaping too. He can hit it right to left, and left to right and be comfortable with both of those – and that’s crucial, too.”

Rahm: “Yeah, boiling down to good driving, good irons, good wedging, good putting …”

DeChambeau: “… and you’re one of the best in the world.”

Niemann, no doubt, has everybody talking at the moment. The buzz is loud.

The 25-year-old from Chile has won three of his last six worldwide starts. It started last December at the Australian Open, and he’s carried that momentum into the early part of the 2024 LIV Golf campaign, winning the season opener last month in Mayakoba and adding a second win Sunday at LIV Golf Jeddah to move atop the individual points standings.

Along the way, he’s shot a 12-under 59 – joining DeChambeau, who shot 58 last year at Greenbrier, as the only players to break 60 at a LIV Golf tournament. He also added three majors to his playing schedule, earning an invite to the Open Championship via his Australian win, and receiving special invitations to play the Masters and PGA Championship.

Given his form, it’s easy to see him climbing into a green jacket next month.

For now, you could argue that he’s the best player without a major victory … and perhaps among the best players across all tours regardless of credentials.

“Definitely he’s in the conversation,” said his Torque teammate Sebastián Muñoz. “No doubt about it.”

Niemann has been a budding superstar since rising to No. 1 in the world amateur rankings in 2017 while winning six pro events as an amateur back home on the Chilean Tour. He maintained that No. 1 spot for 44 weeks until turning pro, then made his debut with a sixth-place finish in San Antonio.

A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, Niemann joined LIV Golf in time to play the last four regular-season tournaments in the 2022 beta season while assuming the captaincy of Torque GC.

After revamping his lineup to include fellow South Americans Muñoz and Mito Pereira, the 2023 LIV Golf season was wildly successful for Torque with four team wins – but not as productive for Niemann, who had five top-10 individual finishes but rarely was a serious contender on Sunday.

He ended the LIV Golf season on a positive note, beating Stinger GC Captain Louis Oosthuizen in their semifinal match at the LIV Golf Team Championship, then shooting 66 on Championship Sunday at Doral.

Instead of taking an extended break, he traveled to Australia hoping to ride the momentum into a victory – which happened at The Australian when he beat Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino on the second playoff hole.

“I felt like I was playing good,” Niemann said. “I don't know if victory was coming. I think victory comes when you’re least expecting it.”

Perhaps now, though, he is expecting it.

There are several reasons for finding the next gear. Two things can be highlighted specifically in Niemann’s case.

THE HIGH/LOW DRAWS. Niemann has added it to his arsenal off the tee, and his confidence level in the draws is extremely high. Never was it more evident than last weekend in Jeddah, when he used his low power draw to shape his shot perfectly around the dogleg left fairway on the 15th hole.

The hole had never really suited his eye, as his low fade was counterproductive. But the addition of a successful low draw was “perfectly made” for that hole.

“It’s kind of like a shot that is not comfortable to hit all the time, but I knew that if I stuck to that shot the whole week, it was going to be the right shot.” Niemann said Sunday. “It was beautiful.”

The day before, he talked about the high draw that gives him added length and still maintains precision.

“I’ve been able to hit all the trajectories that I want ... and be aggressive off the tee, hitting that high draw more often than I normally do,” he said. “Doing that shot, I gain at least 20 yards on the routine low cut that I had before.

“Being confident with that high draw has helped me a lot being confident on the rest of my game.”

LEFT-HAND DOMINANT PUTTING. If you recall Niemann’s previous pre-shot routine while standing over putts, he would push his right shoulder back to make sure he was properly aligned. “Almost all my stroke was more feeling with my right hand,” he said.

But his routine is now changed. He no longer pushes back his shoulder, and his left arm is more dominant. “I like to go in only with my left arm,” he said, “and just feel like that’s the only arm that is doing the stroke.”

Muñoz said he and putting instructor Eric Dietrich were among those who pointed out the benefits of putting with the dominant left hand. It took Niemann to make the commitment to the new approach.

Through the early part of this season, Niemann is averaging 1.57 putts per hole, ranking T-17 in that category. A year ago, he averaged 1.63 putts to rank T-36.

“He’s making the putts and he’s believing in himself, and it’s making him more repeatable,” Muñoz said. “Our money games on Tuesday and Wednesday, he has more to show.”

Physical adjustments are one thing. Niemann also is in a better frame of mind. He’s confident in his game, and he is handling adverse situations much better. Consider the two-stroke penalty he received just before his final round in Mayakoba. It could’ve thrown him completely off-track, but he grinded his way to a playoff, then held strong in four tense holes against Sergio Garcia to win in the dying light.

“I think it gave me more energy to go out and fight and prove myself that it's not going to bother me,” Niemann said of the penalty.

Then on Saturday in Jeddah, his patience was tested with seven consecutive pars to start his round while others were making moves. He didn’t panic, and eventually found the hot hand, shooting a 6-under 64 that gave him the lead entering the final round.

“Felt really happy when I finished the round with how I was patient,” he said afterwards.

Consider it part of his maturation process. After all, he’s still relatively young, but he’s now married. Now focused. And now determined to reach new heights as a golfer.

“It’s commitment not only to his golf game but also to his mental game, to his understanding of him as a person and what he wants out of life, what he wants out of golf and where his goals at,” Muñoz said. ‘He just has completed that vision of himself playing golf.

“There’s a ton of people that I know are super-talented. He’s always been a little different. I met him when he was 17 playing his first tournament as an amateur on the PGA Tour. I knew he was special – with the way he hits, with the way he chips, with the way he likes to play golf. He likes to show off. He likes the big moments.”

“He’s in a great place,” added DeChambeau, who played with Niemann in the same group that Saturday in Jeddah. “I’m very happy for him and all the accolades that’s come with that has been great.

“I hope that more continues to come because he deserves every bit of it. He’s one of the best players in the world.”

Consider it a conversation starter.