Joaquin Niemann eyes bigger rewards at LIV Golf Singapore showdown: "It's definitely on my mind"

Joaquin Niemann is gearing up for the final round of LIV Golf Singapore with more than just another title in sight. A win would not only mark his second victory in three tournaments but could also propel him to the top of the individual rankings, securing his spot in the U.S. Open.

Joaquin Niemann is currently ranked fourth in the LIV standings. However, the top-ranked player by April 7 will automatically earn entry into the U.S Open, the only major he has not yet qualified for.

Talking about the same during a press conference on March 15, he said (via ASAP Sports):

"Yeah, definitely. I've got to get to the- first of all, I want to obviously win the tournament, and then I think all the rest will pay for itself. But it's definitely on my mind that if I got- there's a spot for the U.S. Open, which I'm not in."

"Yeah, it would be nice to have a good Sunday and have that opportunity to go past Sergio and have that lead. I feel like I'm still a few weeks away from that qualifier cut, so this definitely will help," Niemann added.

The U.S Golf Association introduced a new pathway in February, with the top-ranked LIV golfer in the top three, who is not already exempted, eligible to secure a U.S. Open place as of May 19. As of now, Sergio Garcia is leading the race.

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Joaquin Niemann's performance at the LIV Golf Singapore

Golf: LIV Golf Singapore - Second Round - Source: Imagn

Joaquin Niemann kicked off LIV Golf Singapore with a four-under 67 on March 14, tying for third place. On March 15, Niemann delivered a seven-under 64, the lowest score of the round, moving him to 11-under 131, sharing a lead with Dustin Johnson.

Entering the second round, Niemann started from hole no. 2 in the shotgun format, carding four birdies in his first six holes. Followed by a bogey on the eighth, which disrupted his momentum, before he bounced back with three consecutive birdies from holes 10 to 12. He added one more birdie on 16, finishing the round with 24 putts.

Apart from Joaquin Niemann, Dustin Johnson, who shared a lead with him at 11-under, shot a bogey-free 65 in the opening round and followed it with a 68 on the next day. His second round included five birdies and two bogeys. In addition, defending champion Brooks Koepka is tied for eighth at six-under 136 alongside Paul Casey, both scoring 69 in the second round. The prize purse of this tournament is $4 million.

Meanwhile, in the team competition, Dustin Johnson's 4Aces GC leads at 20-under 548, holding a five-shot advantage over Phil Mickelson's HyFlyers GC.