“We expected you to win earlier” - LIV Golf analyst addresses Joaquin Niemann's exclusion from 3 Majors despite Mayakoba triumph

By ALISHA KOTADIA

Modified Feb 05, 2024 16:37 GMT

Hero Dubai Desert Classic - Day Four (Image via Getty)

Joaquin Niemann had an amazing start to the LIV season with the Mayakoba tournament. After breaking a course record of 59 in his first round, getting a two-stroke penalty in the second, and playing the longest playoff in history in the third round, the Chilean professional golfer claimed a victory.

Although this triumph was special for him, Niemann still can’t participate in the 2024 Majors excluding the Open Championship, scheduled to take place in July. In December 2023, Joaquin Niemann won the ISPS Handa Australian Open which granted him a spot for the 152nd Open tournament.

Nonetheless, shortly after the event, LIV Golf analyst Jerry Foltz opened up about how LIV golfers including Joaquin Niemann are not earning points in the OWGR rankings and are also restricted from showcasing their skills at the Majors.

Jerry Foltz praised Niemann and hoped that he gets a spot in the Majors. He said (via Golf Monthly):

“He (Niemann) felt like he had a point to prove this week. He is one of the best players in the world, there's not a single person who laces up their golf shoes for a living who doesn't believe he is one of the best players in the world.”

He added:

“The rankings that don't answer to the organizing bodies that control the political bargaining chip that is the OWGR - they all would have him in the Major championships through legitimate rankings.”

Not just that, Joaquin Niemann himself talked about how not being a part of the Majors is a big disappointment for him when Dom Boulet called him one of the best golfers and said:

"Joaquin, you're one of the best players in the world, we expected you to win earlier..."

To this, the 25-year-old golfer replied:

"But I'm not in the Majors."

Although it remains to be seen if Joaquin Niemann would be able to tee off at the Augusta event, he still has one chance in July to showcase his skills at the Open Championship.

Despite the uncertainties surrounding Majors, Joaquin Niemann won a substantial amount by winning the Mayakoba tournament

Joaquin Niemann had a decent season in 2023 where he proved his worth by making some of the best finishes. However, he was yet to win his LIV league event though he did his best in the 2024 LIV season’s opening event, LIV Mayakoba.

Niemann defeated Sergio Garcia in a playoff round and won a whopping amount of $4,000,000. Additionally, Garcia won his share of $2,250,000 for his runner-up finish in the event. Here is the prize distribution list for all the players in the LIV Mayakoba tournament:

Winner Joaquin Niemann- $4,000,000
2 Sergio Garcia- $2,250,000
T3 Jon Rahm- $1,250,000
T3 Dean Burmester- $1,250,000
T5 Dustin Johnson- $700,000
T5 Charles Howell III- $700,000
T5 Brooks Koepka- $700,000
T8 Tyrrell Hatton- $457,500
T8 Louis Oosthuizen- $457,500
T8 Cam Smith- $457,500
T11 Richard Bland- $370,000
T11 Paul Casey- $370,000
T13 Caleb Surratt- $330,000
T13 Sebastian Munoz- $330,000
T15 Talor Gooch- $292,500
T15 Laurie Canter- $292,500
T17 Sam Horsefield- $255,000
T17 Kevin Na- $255,000
T17 Cameron Tringale- $255,000
T17 Patrick Reed- $255,000
T21 Anirban Lahiri- $215,000
T21 Brendan Steele $215,000
T21 Lucas Herbert- $215,000
T21 Bubba Watson- $215,000
T25 Matt Jones- $190,000
T25 Bryson DeChambeau- $190,000
T25 Marc Leishman- $190,000
T28 Abraham Ancer- $170,000
T28 Martin Kaymer- $170,000
T28 Matthew Wolff- $170,000
T28 Ian Poulter- $170,000
T32 Lee Westwood- $153,250
T32 Kalle Samooja- $153,250
T32 Eugenio Chacarra- $153,250
T32 Jason Kokrak- $153,250
T36 Hudson Swafford- $144,000
T36 Henrik Stenson- $144,000
T38 Kieran Vincent- $135,200
T38 Charl Schwartzel- $135,200
T38 Jinichiro Kozuma- $135,200
T38 David Puig- $135,200
T38 Scott Vincent- $135,200
T43 Carlos Ortiz- $126,500
T43 Mito Pereira- $126,500
T43 Graeme McDowell- $126,500
T43 Thomas Pieters- $126,500
47 Adrian Meronk- $123,000
48 Danny Lee- $120,000
49 Brendan Grace- $60,000
50 Andy Ogletree- $60,000
T51 Pat Perez- $53,333
T51 Phil Mickelson- $53,333
T51 Peter Uihlein- $53,333
54 Harold Varner- $50,000

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