Joaquín Niemann did it again.
The Chilean won for the third time in LIV this season in terms of the individual titles of the League. Jon Rahm Legion XIII Tok at home the team wins in Mexico City last weekend, while Niemann stopped on the podium for his lonely.
Something that is particularly remarkable about Niemann’s victory, outside the fact that he is playing a quite incredible golf at this time, which is the official won an exemption for the US Open. To be clear, players gain exemptions for tournaments and/or specializations all the time, so that is not necessarily uncommon, but the new thing is that this exemption is for a player specifically on the LIV tour.
In February, the USGA announced an exemption for the LIV Golf Tour and in the process became the first sports governing body. The discussions, disagreements and/or disputes over the LIV golf have a bone anger for several years, but this is an unknown territory in terms of the existence of the exemption and, therefore, their ear by Niemann.
As noted, nor Niemann has played very well this season and, as a result, he obtained a special invitation to the masters, this is how he could enter it. Liv has had problems for years, as mentioned to establish the ear power so that its players qualify for the main championships, so it is a relatively large problem.
This is how exemption works:
When claiming the 40 points that go to each winner of the individual Golf Liv tournament, Joaquin Niemann extended his advantage of points of the season. Of his 124.66 points this season, 120 have arrived in their three victories in the tournament (Adelaide, Singapore and Mexico City).
Now lead Jon Rahm for 30.3 points and Sergio García for 46.66 points. With a remaining final tournament before the Liv Golf Exemption of The US Open is awarded next month, Niemann has guaranteed a place for Oakmont in June.
The exemption goes to the main points player who is no longer exempt in the Top 3 of the classification as of May 19. Rahm is the only player who can overcome Niemann mathematical with a victory in Liv Golf Korea next week, and already has a place at the USS Open. Garcia does not have a place, but he is too late.
Niemann is already in the PGA championship and the open championship, so he will play the four largest this year for the first time since 2023. He becomes the ninth LIV golf player who is expected to be in the open field of the United States.
There is still a lack of clarity about how any potential union and/or fusion would be seen with the PGA Tour and Liv Golf. This is a new territory, but it may or may not lead to something later on the road.
We will all have to wait constantly to see.
