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Joaquin Niemann has been on an absolute tear since the beginning of December, ripping off three huge wins and another Top 5 over the last three months.
Two of those victories have come on the LIV Golf circuit, and they’ve been less than beneficial in terms of his OWGR standing. After picking up his most recent victory, he offered a subtle jab to the rankings system.
Now, despite that LIV tag, Niemann’s done what he can to keep his world ranking up. That included paying fines to keep his DP World Tour status and playing in the Australian Tour just a few months back, which proved beneficial when he beat Rikuya Hoshino in a playoff.
He kept the momentum going after the LIV season began, posting wins at Mayakoba and Jeddah. Unfortunately, those wins don’t count towards his OWGR status.
And despite beating out players like Jon Rahm to hoist those titles, they’ve been of no benefit to his world ranking.
After his most recent victory, he took a jab.
No question… @joaconiemann is the hottest player in the world right now 💯#LIVGolf @TorqueGC_ pic.twitter.com/fMlv30PxRc
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) March 3, 2024
“How is that possible?” he responded when asked about being considered a favorite to win the upcoming Masters. “I’m like 100th in the world.”
His frustrations would only grow after the win…
Joaquin Niemann fell from 72nd to 76th in the OWGR after his LIV win.
With those LIV performances holding no weight in the Official World Golf Rankings, his slide down the standings continued.
Given his sarcastic reply after that win in Jeddah, the latest slip likely won’t sit well.
Still, it hasn’t been a deterrent in terms of Major participation. Niemann was able to land a special Masters invite last month, which was quickly followed by an invite to the PGA Championship.
His win at the Australian Open landed him a spot in the Open, meaning he’ll play in (at least) three of the four majors this season.
Now if only his ranking would reflect that…