Joaquin Niemann claimed his second LIV Golf victory of the 2025 season by shooting a superb round of 65 to seal a five-stroke win over Brooks Koepka.
“Today was one of those days,” said Niemann, who also won in Adelaide, Australia last month. “Everything went my way.”
Indeed, this is his fourth victory on the breakaway tour since February 4, 2024 and he is arguably the hottest player in LIV Golf right now.
Due to finishing second in the individual standings for the 2024 season, the Chilean golfer was awarded a special exemption into both the Masters and PGA Championship this year.
The U.S. Open will also become the first major to provide those players on the LIV circuit with an official exemption based on rankings. This suggests that there could be more and more LIV golfers taking part in the major championships this year and beyond.
Koepka – who won the 2023 PGA Championship – and Bryson DeChambeau, winner of the U.S. Open last year, are the only two players to have won a major since defecting from the PGA Tour.
With Niemann in this sort of form heading into Augusta, could the South American become the third?
Could Joaquin Niemann win the Masters?
Nothing should be ruled out, especially the way Niemann has performed since the start of the 2025 LIV Golf season.
There have been four events – Riyadh, Adelaide, Hong Kong and Singapore – with Niemann winning in Australia and Singapore, while also finishing T33 in Saudi Arabia and T12 in Hong Kong.
Consistency has been key for the Chilean golfer, something which will give him a berth at the U.S. Open in June, the only major he isn’t already exempt for this year.
Before that, Augusta takes centre stage. In 2023, Koepka came close to winning, but was caught by Jon Rahm during the final round and lost by four strokes.
Last year, three LIV golfers finished in the top ten at the opening major of the year. Surely it wont be long before someone finally claims the green jacket?
Given his performances, Niemann is one of the favourites. The 26-year-old has played the Masters five times since making his debut back in 2018.
He missed the cut seven years ago, but since then, has recorded finishes of T40, T35, T16 and T22 at Augusta.
He wasn’t a contender, with either one or two poor rounds derailing any sort of momentum. Indeed, last year, he shot 78 during the second round. The year prior, Niemann recorded a 74 in the third round.
This year could be different. With two wins under his belt, it could be the catalyst for him to start off brightly at Augusta.
Niemann has broken 70 just once across five opening rounds at the course. Replicating his first round 69 from 2023 – or going even lower – will give him plenty of confidence to make a run at the Masters.
If he wins, he will become the first Chilean golfer to win a major championship. Surely that is all the incentive he needs.
