Joaquin Niemann stunned the golf world by carding a 12-under 59 in the opening round of the LIV Golf League’s 2024 season opener on Friday. His bogey-free masterpiece featuring 11 birdies set the course record at El Camaleón Golf Club and catapulted him to a commanding four-stroke lead after two rounds.
Summary
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- Joaquin Niemann shot a stunning 59 in the opening round to set the course record and take a 4-shot lead at the LIV Golf League season opener in Mayakoba. He leads at 13-under through two rounds.
- Jon Rahm and Dean Burmester sit tied for second at 9-under in Rahm’s LIV Golf debut. Sergio Garcia is two shots back in fourth.
- Rahm and Niemann both recovered from early bogeys on Saturday to stay in contention with solid rounds amid windy conditions.
- Niemann’s Torque GC team leads the team competition at 15-under, five shots ahead of Rahm’s Legion XIII team.
- Format tweaks for 2024 include 54 players instead of 48, top 3 scores counting the first two rounds, more individual points awarded, and changes to prizemoney distribution.
The 25-year-old Chilean phenom backed up his record round with a gritty even-par 70 on Saturday amid blustery conditions in Mayakoba, Mexico. He navigated the difficult weather and tricky narrow fairways beautifully, mixing four birdies and four bogeys to post a 13-under total through 36 holes.
“I knew today was going to be a tough day. I just needed to be in position all day,” said Niemann. “I got a few bad holes where I was able to kind of bring it back, but overall I’m still happy the way I played and the way I’m still hitting the ball.”
Joaquin Niemann shoots a historic 59 during the first round of LIV Golf's season-opening event. Then came an epic admission.https://t.co/k0iuMrtI2l
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) February 4, 2024
Niemann’s stellar play has his Torque GC team atop the team leaderboard at 15-under par, five clear of Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII squad. Rahm, competing in his first LIV Golf event after switching tours in December, sits in a tie for second individually with South Africa’s Dean Burmester at 9-under.
The top 3 scores count for each four-man roster over the first two rounds, while all four scores are counted in Sunday’s final round. Whoever finishes with the lowest team total over 54 holes earns the top prize of $5 million split between the players.
Rahm Signs In Style in LIV Debut
In his highly anticipated LIV Golf League debut, former world No. 1 Jon Rahm made an immediate splash at Mayakoba. The fiery Spaniard tamed difficult windy conditions Saturday en route to a 3-under 67, keeping him within striking distance of Niemann.
After an opening bogey, Rahm caught fire with birdies on 5 of his next 9 holes. It was a charge that thrilled spectators and validated his blockbuster decision to make the controversial switch to the upstart, Saudi-funded circuit.
“Fantastic day on a much tougher golf course, much tougher conditions, a lot windier, where in a place with fairways this narrow I managed to keep it in play very, very well,” said Rahm, who counts the 2021 U.S. Open among his seven PGA Tour wins.
The 29-year-old will aim to chase down Niemann while leading his Legion XIII squad in Sunday’s highly anticipated final round. Based on his debut performance, Rahm looks poised to be a formidable presence both individually and in the team format LIV Golf emphasizes.
2024 Format Sees Field Expand to 54 Players
Ahead of the season opener in Mexico, LIV Golf officials instituted several format tweaks for 2024 aimed at enhancing competition and fan experience.
Field sizes now increase from 48 to 54 players, with the addition of a 13th team and two wild card spots. Players will compete both individually and for their share of a $20 million purse each week, while also scoring points for their four-man rosters.
New for 2024, only the top three scores from each team will count over the first two rounds instead of two scores as in previous years. But all four scores still count in Sunday’s final round, putting extra emphasis on team depth and strategy.
Scoring changes also impact individual standings throughout the season and determine eligibility for the season-ending team championship. The top 24 players in points automatically secure spots for 2025, while those ranked 25-48 need to be re-signed by teams to retain their places.
So while Niemann and Rahm battle in the final round Sunday, the initial success of format modifications promise an even more compelling product moving forward. LIV Golf aims to continue enhancing competition as it challenges the PGA Tour’s supremacy.
