“It’s going to be more fun knowing that they hate us”: Joaquin Niemann is fired up for Augusta Masters

Joaquin Niemann will be participating in the 2023 Masters. The event will not ban LIV Golf members if they qualify through the set regulations. If a LIV member qualifies based on any of the criteria, they're invited.

This will make for interesting golf. There's a heated rivalry between the two leagues and between some players on either tour. Having them compete in such close proximity for golf's biggest tournament will be exciting. Niemann is looking forward to it, as he said (via Golf.com):

“I think it’s going to be more fun knowing that they hate us. Then go to the majors and beat them... Obviously, it’s going to be an individual tournament, not a team (event). But we’re going to be feeling it, with the different players playing at the same time for their tour.”

He admitted that he wasn't sure whether or not the governing bodies would even allow him and his LIV counterparts to participate:

“It was going to be a little bit dumb to leave so many good players out."

He added that he felt like, even when he was still on the PGA Tour, some players and officials were giving him the cold shoulder due to rumors around him joining LIV:

“That was the hardest part, just seeing how some players and then the people that worked (the tournaments), how they treated us before and after."

He further said:

“I think there is a big rivalry right now between the Tour and LIV. I think there is a lot of players that — I don’t know if they don’t like us or they don’t like the decisions that we take — but it’s going to be fun.”

Since other majors won't disallow LIV Golf members, Joaquin Niemann and his friends will have four chances to play directly against PGA Tour players for the biggest prizes in golf:

“Since they gave us the notice that we’re going to be able to play the majors, I was like, it’s going to be so much fun those four weeks. Four weeks in the year against them, and try to beat them.”

The Masters represents the first chance to take down some PGA Tour stars and perhaps convince them of the legitimacy of LIV and the quality of its players.

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How much did Joaquin Niemann earn for LIV Golf move?

LIV Golf lured Joaquin Niemann away from the PGA Tour successfully. He is currently the world number 26 golfer per OWGR, so he was a big catch for the rebel tour.

Joaquin Niemann earned a lot from LIV Golf

They didn't do it without money, which has been a way for them to entice golfers to make the leap from the beginning.

As per the Telegraph, Niemann's signing bonus was around $100 million. The 24-year-old PGA Tour star had a bright future ahead of him on that tour, but that kind of money is very difficult to turn down.

It proved to be a big win as Niemann was helpful in securing Sebastian Munoz later.