UK Recap: Consistent Niemann again shines while Torque ends up a disappointing ninth in England

ROCESTER, England – Although captain Joaquin Niemann once again shone individually, Torque GC experienced its first disappointing week of the season after surprisingly finishing ninth at LIV Golf UK on Sunday.

Niemann played a lone hand for Torque in the final round, reeling off seven birdies in the first 16 holes before bogeying the last for a superb 6-under 65 at JCB Golf & Country Club.

It was the lowest round of the day and lifted the Chilean professional into a three-way tie for second place at 12-under, level with Ripper GC's Cameron Smith and Legion XIII's Tyrrell Hatton.

However, Niemann did not receive any meaningful support from his team mates as Sebastián Muñoz, Carlos Ortiz and Mito Pereira all closed with 73s to leave the all-Spanish speaking combination with an aggregate score on the day of even par.

That dropped Torque from joint third overnight to ninth spot - their worst finish in a season that had previously produced 10 successive finishes of top six or better.

"As a team, we just need to play a little better," said Mexican Ortiz, who won his first individual LIV Golf title in Houston last month. "Joaquin has been playing really good golf this year and the rest of us are starting to get to that same place. It's just a matter of time before we get that team win."

Niemann has been the league's standout player this year with two individual titles but Torque has yet to taste team victory after winning a league-best four times in 2023.

With just two events remaining in the 2024 regular season, Torque will look to bounce back from their disappointing collective final round at JCB Golf & Country Club.

"It's just a question of putting the pieces together," said Colombian Muñoz, who carded successive scores of 68 at LIV Golf UK before closing with a 73. "We haven't had the wins, but we have had a lot of good finishes. It's just waiting for that week when we can all kind of put it together and start rolling.

"We're getting closer for that first team win of the year, which is something that we definitely have in our objectives for this year."

Niemann continues to set the pace atop the season-long individual standings where he has a 24-point lead over Jon Rahm, and 46 points over third-placed Tyrrell Hatton.

There are just two events remaining in the regular season that will decide the 2024 Individual Championship, and the top three in points after LIV Golf Chicago will each earn season-long bonuses.

"I just want it to keep going in the same direction," said Niemann, who clinched the season-opening LIV Golf Mayakoba in a playoff before winning in Jeddah by four strokes just two tournaments later. "I think there is a lot more to improve, and I just need to be curious about that and see how much I can learn."

"I want to feel and I want to think I'm the best all the time. I think that's the only way to be confident and play good golf. It's something that you need - to believe in yourself to be out here playing competitive golf and winning tournaments."

Torque's next opportunity to clinch their first team victory of 2024 will come at the August 16-18 LIV Golf Greenbrier, the penultimate event in the regular season.