Strong winds fail to throw in-form Niemann off victory trail at $25m LIV Golf Jeddah

The Chilean wins by four shots as Crushers GC take Team Title and Dubai-based Meronk and Lahiri Finish in tied sixth

Published: Tue 5 Mar 2024, 2:28 PM

By
Nick Tarratt, Khaleej Times Guest Golf Writer

Joaquin Niemann is one of the in-form players in the world of golf right now. - Instagram

Torque CC’s Joaquin Niemann shot a final round of 66 for a 17 under par total to win the $25 million 54-hole LIV Golf – Jeddah on a day when the wind was blowing its hardest of the week, at least 10 mph stronger than in either of the previous two rounds.

Starting with a two-shot lead from tee one in this shotgun format, the 25-year-old Chilean, birdied holes 1 and 4 to be out in 33. Another birdie on hole 10, and then on hole 13th, he dropped only his second shot of the week.

Three pars followed and birdies on holes 17 and 18, for the third consecutive day, saw him master the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, King Abdullah Economic City and win by four clear shots.

In tied second were South African’s Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel representing Stinger GC – both on 13 under par.

Niemann is one of the in-form players in the world of golf right now.

LIV Golf - Jeddah Team Champions, Crushers GC: left to right: Paul Casey, Anirban Lahiri, Captain Bryson DeChambeau and Charles Howell III. - Supplied photo

He won LIV Golf – Mayakoba. On the DP World Tour Niemann won the Australian Open at the end of the year and was fourth in the recent HERO Dubai Desert Classic and last week at the International Series – Oman was third on the Asian Tour.

Dubai resident Adrian Meronk (Cleeks GC), shot a final round 69, to finish in tied sixth, having been the tied first-round leader.

Anirban Lahiri, another Dubai-based player, shot one of the best rounds of the day, a 65 to finish alongside Meronk on 10 under par.

Meronk was controversially allocated a one stroke penalty for Slow Play for bad times according to the LIV Golf regulations. This additional shot was added to his score on hole 18.

In his comeback event, America's Anthony Kim shot rounds of 76, 76 and 74 to finish on 226.

In the Team event the Crushers GC, consisting of Bryson DeChambeau, Lahiri, Charles Howell III and Paul Casey, topped the leaderboard with a 54-hole score of 38 under par. All four scores counted towards the Team score in the final round with the Crushers starting the day in tied sixth, 11 shots back of second-round Team leaders, Stinger GC, and won by four shots with a 20 under final day – breaking all kinds of records.

Team Captain Bryson said: “I am so proud of my Team today. I hope today’s performance will shock the ecosystem of LIV Golf.

“It’s a cool environment – even though I was playing well I was rooting for my guys out there.”

The Crushers came second in LIV Golf – Mayakoba and won the 2023 Team title.

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