Joaquin Niemann birdied Nos. 14-17 to cap off a bogey-free, 8-under-par 63 for his final round and hung on to win LIV Golf Virginia on Sunday in Gainesville, Va.
The 26-year-old from Chile went 15-under 198 for the week at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club and beat Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell (66) and Anirban Lahiri of India (68) by a single stroke. Lahiri had a birdie attempt at his final hole to force a playoff with Niemann but could not convert.
Niemann’s sixth LIV win — all coming in a 17-month span — broke a tie with Brooks Koepka for the most victories in the Saudi-backed league’s brief history.
He had to endure a rain delay and fend off a crowded field of players to finish the job.
“I felt like there was a lot going on during the rain delay,” Niemann said. “Tried to keep my mind on the right thoughts, and having Bryson (DeChambeau) coming off pretty clutch at the end, Phil (Mickelson) as well, Anirban…
“It could have been for anybody, and I felt like I was all day just behind, especially since the beginning of the week, and I feel like the only word that I was telling myself from last night was just have faith. There’s nothing else I can do, have a good attitude, and just wait.”
The win propels him into next week’s U.S. Open, where he is in the field on an exemption reserved for one of the top players in the league.
“I feel like I’m still pretty far away of winning (a major),” Niemann said. “I’m just happy to be playing at the U.S. Open. It’s going to be a great course, pretty tough conditions. I’m just looking forward for that challenge and have a fun week.”
After a two-putt birdie at the par-5 14th hole, Niemann sank a 9-footer at the 15th and a 10-footer at the par-3 16th. He reached 15 under par when he stuck his second shot at No. 17 to about a foot from the pin to set up a tap-in birdie.
DeChambeau and Mickelson each shot 6-under 65s to get into a tie for fourth at 13 under with Belgium’s Thomas Pieters (63) and Bubba Watson (67).
Mickelson made an improbable birdie at No. 17 on a flop shot from the greenside rough. He stood in a bunker, well below his ball, and sent it high in the air and on a perfect line to gently roll into the cup.
In the team standings, the DeChambeau-captained Crushers GC went 15 under for the day to finish 36 under par and secure the team title by two strokes over 4Aces GC. It is Crushers’ second straight team victory following the last event in South Korea.
“It was funny, going into Korea we were all looking at each other going, ‘What are we doing? Let’s kick it into gear,’ and we have,” DeChambeau said. “Definitely a force to be reckoned with, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”
–Field Level Media
