Torque GC captain Joaquin Neimann of Chile fired a 7 under par round on day two of LIV Golf Singapore to share the lead with day one leader Dustin Johnson of the US at Sentosa GC. Image courtesy livgolf.com.
From a Correspondent
Singapore: Three seasons after first battling for an individual title in LIV Golf, Dustin Johnson and Joaquin Niemann enter Sunday’s final round of LIV Golf Singapore presented by Aramco, ready for another duel.
Torque GC captain Niemann shot the best score in Saturday’s second round at Sentosa Golf Club, a 7 under par 64 to grab a share of the lead with Johnson, the 4Aces GC captain who followed his opening 63 with a 3-under 68.
The two are at 11 under, three shots better than their closest pursuers.
Johnson’s 4Aces own a five-stroke lead over Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC in the team competition as they hope to end a drought of 22 consecutive tournaments without a win.
Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC are in third place, eight strokes off the lead in search of a third consecutive tournament victory after Adelaide and Hong Kong.
Johnson and Niemann are in the leaders’ group in the final round for the first time since Niemann made his LIV Golf debut in Boston during the 2022 invitational series season.
Johnson posted his first LIV Golf individual win that week by rolling in a dramatic eagle putt in a playoff that included Niemann and India star Anirban Lahiri.
Recalled Niemann: “I still remember that day. It was my first week on LIV. He got it going, I got it going. I felt like I was the leader for a few holes, and he birdied back and then made an amazing putt on the playoff hole.”
Anticipated clash
While they have competed in the same group in subsequent LIV Golf tournaments, they’ve yet to duel with the lead entering the final round.
The two players are among the most decorated in LIV Golf’s young history, with three individual tournaments each as well as multiple team victories.
“It’s always fun playing with DJ,” Niemann said. “I’m excited for that tomorrow.”
Niemann entered Singapore less than 10 points behind individual championship leader Garcia, who won last week in Hong Kong.
The individual points leader after LIV Golf Korea in May earns exemption into the US Open in June at Oakmont. Niemann is set for the other three majors this year but not the US Open.
“First of all, I want to obviously win the tournament,” said Niemann, who led the points standings for most of last season until being caught late in the year by Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm.
On the mind
“Then I think all the rest will pay for itself. But it’s definitely on my mind.
Of the top 11 in the current standings, only Rahm (No. 2) is guaranteed a U.S. Open spot.
Dustin Johnson continued to show out with the shared at LIV Golf Singapore on Saturday while pushing his 4Aces team well clear of the field. Image courtesy LIV Golf.
There are plenty of chasers hoping to catch the two with a hot round on Sunday, including four players tied for third at 8 under who are each after their first LIV Golf victory.
Niemann’s Torque teammate Sebastián Muñoz continued his fine play with a 3-under 68 and finds himself inside the top five of the leaderboard for the eighth time after 11 rounds this season.
Ripper GC’s Lucas Herbert remains his team’s best-performing player this season, shooting a 5 under 66.
Smash GC’s Jason Kokrak also shot 66 and hopes to join teammates Talor Gooch (2023) and captain Brooks Koepka (2024) as Singapore individual winners.
“Good vibes with two teammates that have already won here,” Kokrak said. “I know the golf course well enough. I know what to do. It’s just going out there and actually doing it.”
Cameron Tringale shot his second consecutive 67 to lead the resurgent HyFlyers. Last week in Hong Kong, Mickelson posted his first individual podium finish as the HyFlyers tied for third as a team.
Tringale has not yet won an individual title and the HyFlyers have never won as a team. Sunday in Sentosa could be a special day if they can rally.
Seeking success
“We all just want it so bad,” Tringale said. “We want to prove to people that we’re a legitimate team. There’s no reason we can’t do it. We’re all excited about the chance.”
The 4Aces, meanwhile, want to return to the dominant force that won five times – including the Team Championship – in the inaugural eight-tournament 2022 season, and then twice in 2023 before the drought began.
“The competition is so good out here,” Johnson said. “The quality of players from top to bottom is pretty high. To win as a team, it’s really tough.”
Out-duelling the red-hot Niemann, who already has one win this season in Adelaide, will be equally difficult.
“He’s been playing great this season,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be a tough challenge tomorrow.” (courtesy LIV Golf)
Round 1 scores
1. 4AcesGC -20 (Pieters 67, Johnson 68, Varner III 70, Reed 73; Rd. 2: -6)
2. HyFlyers GC -15 (Tringale 67, Mickelson 68, Steele 68, Ogletree 76; Rd. 2: -5)
T3. Fireballs GC -12 (Puig 69, Ancer 70, Garcia 70, Masaveu 70; Rd. 2: -5)
T3. Torque GC -12 (Niemann 64, Muñoz 68, Ortiz 73, Pereira 79; Rd. 2: Even)
5. Legion XIII -9 (McKibbin 67, Rahm 70, Surratt 70, Hatton 73; Rd. 2: -4)
6. Iron Heads GC -8 (Na 67, Jang 69, Le 69, Catlin 73; Rd. 2: -6)
T7. Crushers GC -5 (DeChambeau 65, Casey 69, Howell III 72, Lahiri 72; Rd. 2: -6)
T7. Smash GC -5 (Kokrak 66, Koepka 69, McDowell 71, Gooch 74; Rd. 2: -4)
T7. Ripper GC -5 (Herbert 66, Jones 70, Smith 70, Leishman 76; Rd. 2: -2)
10. Stinger GC -4 (Oosthuizen 70, Schwartzel 70, Grace 72, Burmester 73; Rd. 2: +1)
11. RangeGoats GC -2 (Campbell 67, Wolff 67, Watson 74, Uihlein 76; Rd. 2: Even)
12. Majesticks GC +15 (Poulter 71, Stenson 71, Horsfield 74, Westwood 75; Rd. 2: +7)
13. Cleeks GC +20 (Bland 70, Kjettrup 74, Kaymer 75, Meronk 75; Rd. 2: +10)
Wild Cards: Lee 71, Kim 73
Round 2 stats
Driving accuracy: Joaquin Niemann, 92.86% (13 of 14 fairways hit)
Driving distance: Matthew Wolff, 350.1 yards avg.
Longest drive: Matthew Wolff, 369.6 yards, 18th hole
Greens in regulation: Sebastián Muñoz, Tom McKibbin, Sergio Garcia, 88.89% (16 of 18 greens)
Scrambling: 5 players at 100%, led by Abraham Ancer, 6 of 6
Putting: Ben Campbell, Lee Westwood, 1.33 putts per hole
Bogey-free rounds: Bryson DeChambeau (65), Lucas Herbert (66), Kevin Na (67), Abraham Ancer (70)
Also read: Johnson leads LIV Singapore field as his 4Aces head team race
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