The 2024 LIV Golf season commenced on Friday at Mayakoba in Mexico, marking a spectacular start for Joaquin Niemann, the Torque GC captain, who delivered an impressive bogey-free 59.
Niemann currently leads the individual standings by five shots at 12-under, while his Torque GC team enjoys a corresponding five-stroke advantage after the first round.
Niemann’s stellar performance on Friday included 10 birdies and a hole-out eagle. Despite having the opportunity to go even lower, sitting at 12-under with two holes remaining, he finished with consecutive pars.
His day began with a par on the second hole, followed by a remarkable sequence where the 25-year-old golfer made five consecutive birdies before recording his second par on the par-3 8th.
Continuing his momentum, Niemann secured back-to-back birdies on holes 9 and 10, culminating in an extraordinary eagle on the par-4 11th, where he dunked the shot into the hole. This exceptional play propelled him to 9-under through 10 holes. With eight holes left to play, Niemann added three more birdies at 13, 15, and 17.
Before the tournament, Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm had expressed skepticism, betting that no one would shoot a 59 on this course.
Niemann’s response after his record-setting round was lighthearted, stating, “He owes me money then.” Niemann attributed the challenges of the course to tighter fairways, increased length, and various lies, emphasizing his exceptional performance and good fortune throughout the day.
Notably, this marks the second instance in LIV Golf’s brief history where a player achieved a historic sub-60 round. Bryson DeChambeau accomplished this feat with a remarkable 58 at LIV Golf Greenbrier the previous year.
Savannah Leigh Richardson, a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through, provided this coverage. For more golf updates, follow @_PlayingThrough on major social platforms, and you can also connect with Richardson on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
