Joaquin Niemann wins LIV Golf opener at Mayakoba after 4-hole playoff

Despite a two-stroke penalty and a marathon playoff, Joaquin Niemann is a LIV Golf champion.

The 25-year-old from Chile went wire-to-wire to claim his first win on the Saudi-backed circuit at the league’s 2024 opener at Mayakoba’s El Camaleon Golf Course in Mexico following a four-hole playoff in the dark against Sergio Garcia on Sunday. Niemann, who shot a blistering 12-under 59 in the first round, made one final clutch to seal the deal for his first win since joining the league.

Few players have played more than Niemann in recent months as the Torque GC captain has attempted to raise his Official World Golf Ranking (No. 66) in order to gain access to the major championships in 2024. Niemann finished fifth at the Australian PGA Championship and then won the Australian Open at the tail end of 2023 before a T-4 finish at last month’s Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour.

Joaquin Niemann is your CHAMPION in Mayakoba 🏆🏆#LIVGolf @TorqueGC_ pic.twitter.com/d32SFeRFav

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) February 5, 2024

The newly formed expansion team Legion XIII, captained by Jon Rahm, won the team title by four shots at 24 under, followed by 2023 team champions Crushers GC (20 under) and Niemann’s Torque GC (17 under). Rahm also finished T-3 on the individual leaderboard at 10 under alongside Stinger GC’s Dean Burmester.