The late nice David Bowie as soon as requested, “Insurgent insurgent, how might they know?”
Maybe that very same query will be utilized to LIV golfers, who’ve flocked to the Saudi-backed circuit since its inception in 2022. These gamers strived for extra important paydays and taking part in alternatives internationally. In doing so, some gamers, notably Phil Mickelson, hoped their determination to affix LIV Golf would assist reshape skilled golf. Now, nearly three years after LIV’s first occasion, it could be short-sighted to assume they failed to attain that purpose.
LIV gamers rebelled towards the PGA Tour, citing issues throughout the tour’s aggressive construction, media rights, and, in some circumstances, its grueling schedule. Different gamers talked about different points, too, however no matter their reasoning, LIV threatened the PGA’s very existence and divided the game throughout two circuits.
But, 26-year-old Joaquin Niemann, who joined LIV in August 2022, believes he by no means rebelled towards something.
“We have been by no means rebels,” Niemann mentioned.
“They thought we’re, or they make us imagine that.”
Niemann made these feedback forward of this week’s ISPS Handa Australian Open, one of many marquee, early-season occasions on the DP World Tour. Niemann gained this event final 12 months in a playoff over Rikuya Hoshino of Japan.
“Earlier than becoming a member of LIV, I had by no means performed on the DP World Tour earlier than,” Niemann defined.
“As a result of the calendar was tremendous busy, I didn’t have the prospect to go and play in Europe, and now that I’ve the chance to go over there and clearly additionally I’ve an opportunity to earn some world rating factors, and I attempt to get into the majors, it’s good.”
Since gamers don’t obtain Official World Golf Rating (OWGR) factors at LIV Golf occasions, many notable LIV golfers have additionally competed on different circuits, such because the DP World Tour and Asian Tour. They achieve this to earn OWGR factors, which the 4 main championships use to assist decide their fields. It explains why Niemann performed within the Australian Open final 12 months and is again to defend his title this 12 months. He needs to play within the 4 majors. His robust play within the Land Down Below in 2023, coupled with a couple of robust begins in early 2024, earned him a particular invite to Augusta Nationwide for the 2024 Masters. He additionally acquired invitations to the PGA Championship and Open Championship.
“For me, I’d like to play LIV Golf and some DP World occasions after,” Niemann mentioned.
“There are some nice tournaments round Europe, all over the world for his or her nations’ Open, identical to right here. So yeah, it could be particular to play and have an incredible 12 months with nice tournaments.”
Though he disagrees, Niemann undoubtedly belongs within the “insurgent” class. With out deliberately doing so, he has helped reshape the game at its highest stage, competing on each continent and dealing his manner into the majors through unorthodox means.
A insurgent, by definition, is a revolutionary, and one might say that by way of LIV Golf, a revolution inside males’s skilled golf has taken place proper earlier than our very eyes. The game has modified dramatically over the previous few years, forcing the 2 sides to the negotiating desk. So, as soon as the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Funding Fund (PIF), LIV’s beneficiary, choose a concrete deal that reunites the game once more, all concerned could have finalized the revolution.
Niemann could not prefer it, however he helped reshape the game, a insurgent by definition.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By. Make sure to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.
