Joaquin Niemann’s first thought after beating Sergio Garcia in a four-hole playoff Sunday at LIV Mayakoba?
“However I’m not within the majors,” Niemann might be heard saying in the beginning of his post-round interview.
Later, Niemann was requested if his win – his first on the Saudi-backed circuit since becoming a member of in 2022 – grabbed the “consideration of the related [major] our bodies.” To which Niemann replied, “Oh, I hope so. I imply, I’m simply prepared.” Niemann then mentioned of his targets for the yr: “I wish to win majors, however I gotta get in first.”
Niemann, nonetheless, is in majors; he’s simply not in all of them. His victory two months in the past on the Australian Open certified him for the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon, and at No. 66 within the Official World Golf Rating, he ought to nonetheless be within the prime 100 when the PGA Championship fills out his discipline.
He’s not within the Masters or the U.S. Open proper now.
With LIV having been denied world-ranking factors, Niemann’s Masters hopes are slim to none below the present panorama. He tied for 16th final yr, lacking a return ticket to Augusta Nationwide by two pictures. He may nonetheless final-qualify for the U.S. Open.
Niemann had been taking part in nicely previous to Sunday’s LIV win. He’s acquired three top-5s in latest months, together with a solo fifth on the Aussie PGA and T-4 on the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Traditional, which he acquired into by way of his Aussie Open triumph.
Niemann mentioned in Dubai that he understood not qualifying for majors would seemingly be a consequence of becoming a member of LIV, however he nonetheless felt like he “deserved” to be in all of the majors.
And that was earlier than this week, which additionally featured a 12-under 59 by Niemann in Friday’s first spherical.
“I believe I’ve a distinct mindset for this yr,” Niemann mentioned Sunday night. “It sort of harm me just a little bit not being within the majors, and I believe additionally helped me to get motivation to sort of earn my spot again into the majors, into the elite gamers. I believe it helped me just a little bit to get centered again, to start out working more durable, to start out working with a function. I believe it’s paying off, and I simply wish to maintain telling myself that I’m able to doing this, of profitable tournaments, and it is a good option to show that, and I don’t wish to cease working the best way I’m doing it. I simply wish to maintain going.”
