The LIV Golf tournament at Mayakoba provided a thrilling and unpredictable spectacle. Joaquin Niemann experienced a turbulent start to his Sunday, facing a two-stroke penalty for a rule violation in the second round. However, he ultimately emerged triumphant, defeating Sergio Garcia and clinching his inaugural LIV Golf individual championship.
Niemann expressed his joy, stating, “I am extremely delighted that the day concluded in this manner, particularly considering how it began in the morning. I believe dinner will be far more satisfying than breakfast.” Jon Rahm also remained in contention until the 16th hole.
Regrettably, two late bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes caused him to drop to third place with a score of -10. Nevertheless, his performance significantly contributed to the Legion XIII’s impressive team triumph in their debut, securing a four-stroke advantage over the reigning champions, the Mayakoba Crushers.
The final round commenced with a twist as the Competition Committee adjusted Niemann’s four-shot lead due to a rule violation detected from a previous round. Despite the two penalty strokes, Niemann remained undeterred and concluded the tournament with a score of -12, tying with Garcia, who recorded a final-round 66 and forced a playoff.
The playoff witnessed both champions par the first three holes before Niemann secured victory with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole, just as darkness was descending. Niemann remarked, “The last putt, which I made in the dark, helped me not to be overly calculating. I discovered the right sensation and executed my shot.”
Dean Burmester of Stinger GC also finished tied for third place with Rahm, both achieving an overall score of -10. Tyrrell Hatton, making his debut for the Legion XIII team, played a pivotal role with the team’s lowest score (64) in the final round, which stood as the best score among all participants.
The team concluded with a score of -24, with Hatton (64), Surratt (67), Vincent (69), and Rahm (70) making significant contributions. Looking ahead, the LIV Golf circuit will resume with the LIV Golf Mayakoba tournament taking place from February 2nd to 4th on the “El Camaleón a Mayakoba” course in Mexico.
This marks the commencement of the second season consisting of 14 tournaments and the third season overall for the LIV Golf League. Reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm will make his debut in this event. Teams will compete for a total prize pool of $25 million, with $20 million allocated to the individual classification and $5 million to the team classification.
Nine out of the twelve participating teams will introduce at least one new player to their lineup. The El Camaleón course, designed by Greg Norman, presents a challenging 6506-meter par 71 layout nestled within a tropical jungle, dense mangroves, freshwater canals, and two holes offering panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea.
Recent enhancements have made certain greens more intricate, widened tees on specific holes, and introduced new professional tees on others. To stay updated, you can follow the tournament live or on demand for free through LIV Golf Plus, which can be downloaded on iOS, Android, FireTV, and LIVGolfPlus.com.