LIV Golf’s Joaquin Niemann falls quick in U.S. Open qualifying

Joaquin Niemann, broadly thought to be among the best gamers on the earth, is not going to tee it up on the U.S. Open this 12 months.

Niemann, who DataGolf has because the ninth-ranked participant on the earth, carded a pair of 1-under 71s in remaining qualifying, thus lacking a playoff by a stroke. A double bogey on the fifteenth gap—his thirty third gap of the day—sealed his destiny. The Chilean performed at The Bear’s Membership in Florida, which awarded 5 spots into subsequent week’s area at Pinehurst No. 2.

Matt Kuchar shot 7-under over 36 holes, thus incomes medalist honors at The Bear’s Membership. The 45-year-old Kuchar has performed in three of the final 4 U.S. Opens, as he didn’t qualify for The Nation Membership in 2022. He final made a U.S. Open minimize in 2019, when he tied for sixteenth.

Daniel Berger, who will play his first main in two years, completed one stroke behind Kuchar at 6-under. Berger missed the again half of 2022 and all of 2023 as a consequence of a again damage, as he final appeared in a significant at Brookline. Golf followers in all places will welcome Berger again with open arms when he returns to the most important of phases subsequent week.

Dean Burmester, one other LIV golfer who completed at 6-under, took one of many different three spots in Florida. Burmester defeated Sergio Garcia in a playoff at LIV Golf Miami forward of The Masters.

Luke Clanton, among the best collegiate gamers within the nation from Florida State, completed at 5-under to assert the fourth spot. Then Willie Mack III fended off Brendan Valdes and Thomas Ponder in a 3-for-1 playoff. All three of those gamers completed at 3-under, one above Niemann, Steven Chervony, and Anirban Lahiri.

Not all hope is misplaced for Valdes and Ponder, as they are going to be two alternates for the championship.

Picture by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Pictures

However Niemann doesn’t have that luxurious.

Regardless of profitable two LIV Golf occasions earlier this 12 months and ending throughout the high 5 on the Worldwide Collection Oman and Hero Dubai Desert Basic, Niemann is not going to play within the season’s third main. He made the minimize at Augusta Nationwide and Valhalla however by no means was an element. It is also value noting that Niemann gained the Australian Open in Sydney this previous December.

He is not going to acquire an exemption through the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) both, as the highest 60 gamers within the OWGR—not in any other case exempt—will obtain invitations on Jun. 10. Niemann is presently ninetieth within the OWGR, which doesn’t award factors at LIV Golf occasions.

However, all the {golfing} world is aware of Niemann’s robust play and pedigree. However he additionally proved that qualifying for the U.S. Open is relatively troublesome—maybe probably the most difficult factor to do in all of golf.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Remember to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.