Niemann wins again; Meronk docked for slow play; Leona 34th
Joaquín Niemann poses with the Individual Champion Trophy after the final round of LIV Golf Jeddah. Photo by Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf
Joaquin Niemann did not miss the opportunity to lament LIV Golf's world ranking blackout after his four-shot win in the LIV Jeddah gave him his third win in seven starts worldwide.
The Chilean's brilliant form was recently recognised by Augusta National with a special Masters invitation.
But having finished fifth, first, fourth and third in his last four counting starts for the Official World Golf Ranking in Australia, Dubai and Oman, he could not resist the opportunity to lament the fact that LIV remains beyond the Pale.
"How is that possible when I'm 100th in the world?" Niemann said when told he was now one of the favourites to win a Major this year after following his playoff win over Sergio Garcia in LIV Mayakoba with another win at Royal Greens yesterday.
Niemann is actually 71st in the world, but he’s clearly one of the hottest players in the game and certainly one of the most confident.
"I want to feel and I want to think I'm the best all the time," he said. "I think that's the only way to be confident and play good golf."
As for Anthony Kim, who finished last on 16-over par after following a brace of 76s with a closing 74 in his first event after almost 12 years in retirement, the former US Ryder Cup player (38) also tried to look on the bright side.
"Obviously, it was a rough week," he said, adding: "I definitely played a lot better than the score actually showed.
"I felt more comfortable today than I did the first two days. I shot 4-over par, but it could have been an under-par round if I had just cleaned up a few things.
"Unfortunately, it's still taking me a couple of holes to get comfortable. I think most of my over-par scores are the first six holes.
"If I can just figure a way to get my mind right before I get out there, I think I'll be in great shape."
LIV Golf might lack credibility for the make up of its fields but its rules officials at least handed Poland’s Adrian Meronk a one-stroke penalty for breach of their slow play policies, cositng him $200,000 as he dropped out of a tie for fifth.
In a statement, LIV Goif said:
In the Final Round, the group of Jon Rahm, Kevin Na and Adrian Meronk were officially warned by a rules official after their 8th hole of the day (hole 10) where the group was out of position on the golf course as well as behind in relation to time par. After their 12th hole of the day (hole 14) the group, who had further lost position on the course, was officially timed by a rules official. In accordance with the LIV Golf League Pace of Play Policy, "A player has 40 seconds to play each stroke, with an additional 10 seconds if they are the first to play any stroke in the group."
On the second stroke of the 18th hole, Adrian Meronk, who was first to play, received a time exceeding 2 minutes for his stroke. This exceeded the allotted time per the policy. Meronk was immediately notified by an official and assessed a one-stroke penalty. With the one-stroke penalty, Meronk's score of 4 on the par-5 18th hole resulted in a score of 5.
Holywood's Tom McKibbin can also be excited about the season after he tied for 12th in the SDC Championship in South Africa, just six shots behind the winner, despite making seven bogeys and two double bogeys in his last 39 holes.
The Newtownabbey man (21) led the tournament after 33 holes before playing the next five in six-over.
A double bogey at his 71st hole saw him close with a level par 72 finish on six-under, just six shots behind American Jordan Gumberg, who beat South Africa's Robin Williams with a birdie at the second tie hole.
On the LPGA Tour, Leona Maguire saved the best for last in the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore and closed with a bogey-free, five-under 67 to finish tied in the pack for the third week running.
The Co Cavan star finished joint 34th on one-over-par at Sentosa Golf Club's Tanjong Course, 14 strokes behind Australia's Hannah Green.
Green birdied her last three holes to shoot 67 to win by a shot from Maguire's former Duke University teammate Celine Boutier, who also shot 67.
"I knew I needed to at least birdie the last to win by one,' Green said. "So as soon as that putt went in, I was like, oh, my God, I've won."
In amateur golf, Roganstown's Sean Keeling (17) holed an 80-yard sand wedge for an eagle two at the 18th to close to a three-under 69 and finish fourth in the Spanish International Men's Championship for the Copa del Rey at Alcanada.
He finished seven strokes behind the Netherlands' Lars van der Vight on one-over-par in an event that was declared a 72-hole strokeplay test after weather delays prevented organisers from playing out the matchplay.
Van der Vight claimed the 109th edition of the event after a duel with Spain's Luis Masaveu, carding a 74 to the Spaniard's 77 to win by three strokes on six-under.
In the women's championship for the Copa de la Reina at Guadalhorce, Spain's Andrea Revuelta Goicoechea beat Lurgan's Annabel Wilson 4&3 in Saturday's semi-finals before defeating France's Sara Brentcheneff 2&1 to claim the title.
