Niemann wins PIF Saudi International and International Series Rankings title
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann completed a memorable season by winning the US$5million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers following a dramatic playoff victory against Ripper GC Captain Cameron Smith and Legion XIII member Caleb Surratt.
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Niemann made a brilliant birdie following an exquisite lob shot to 12 inches on the second playoff hole to earn the trophy at Riyadh Golf Club, after Smith and Surrat missed their birdie attempts. The victory, worth US$1 million, also saw him finish top of The International Series rankings after an incredibly close finish to the race.
All three had birdied the first playoff hole – played on the par-4 18th – soon after Niemann and Surratt, paired in the last group, both unexpectedly bogeyed the last to fall back into a tie with Smith at 21 under. Niemann, the leader at the start of the day by one shot, closed with a 4-under 67, Surratt shot a 5-under 66 while Smith, seemingly completely out of the running playing in the sixth-from-last group, stormed through with a 9-under 62.
It was a thrilling finish to the season-ending event on the Asian Tour and The International Series, which is also the most lucrative event of the season.
“I enjoy being in that position, but there's times sometimes that it takes a little bit longer," Niemann said. "It was a good day. Caleb and me, we played great. ... Never thought we were going to be in a playoff with Cam Smith. He was early. An hour before us when he was done. I thought we were going to stay away from the 21 under, but you never know in golf.”
Niemann got off to a perfect start with birdies on the first three holes and appeared in great position to win before dropping a shot on No. 14. On the 18th, he found trouble off the tee and hacked his second out of some small trees and into the fairway before missing a tricky 5-footer for the outright win. Surratt made bogey after pushing his tee shot into the lake on the right. It was a calamitous finish in contrast to Smith, who made birdie there.
“It's a really good way to wrap up the season," Niemann said. "I'm really excited for what's coming next season on LIV and hopefully get into a few majors."
His success meant RangeGoats GC's Peter Uihlein and LIV Golf reserve player Ben Campbell finished second and third, respectively, on The International Series Rankings.
It also marked Niemann's second win of the season in Saudi, as he claimed the LIV Golf Jeddah title in March shortly after winning LIV Golf Mayakoba.
“I think it was a bonus to even get in there, to be fair, sitting down for an hour and a bit," Smith said. "It was fine. I did what I had to do. Obviously, a shame to miss the putt there, but it is what it is. ... I was thinking my percentage [chance] of having a top-five finish was very slim. Yeah, it's a weird game sometimes. It's kind of lucky that there wasn't any beers in the clubhouse because I would have had a few, I think. It's a weird game sometimes, and you never really know what's going to happen.”
Surratt, 20, was attempting to win for the first time as a professional.
The bogey on the 18th was his only dropped shot and means yet another narrow miss on the Asian Tour, following T3 and second-place finishes in International Series events in Morocco and England this year.
“Yeah, it's a tough pill to swallow,” Surratt said. "I've been really close a few times this year in The International Series, and I really fought hard this week because I didn't get off to a great start ... I did all I could do. I hit six perfect golf shots in the playoff, and I didn't really find my way this time, and hopefully one day it does.”
Campbell missed out on the playoff by one shot after closing with a 64. He also missed the chance of a place on next year’s LIV Golf League that comes with winning The International Series rankings race.
Legion XIII's Tyrrell Hatton shot 4-under 67 and claimed solo fifth, one back from Campbell.
(Photo courtesy of Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour)