Joaquin Niemann defeats Sergio Garcia in the darkness of Mayakoba
On a historic Sunday for Spanish golf, where for the first time there was real competition In the championship between the last two stars – Sergio Garcia (66 years old yesterday) and Jon Rahm (70 years old) – 25-year-old Chilean Joaquin Niemann snatched victory from both.
Almost no light, with a huge screen illuminating the greenery, The Borriol disciple, with whom he has been friends for more than five years, won the fourth playoff hole at LIVGolf in Mayakoba with a birdie and added pomp to Friday’s superb 59. It was also John’s first win on the Rebel circuit: John missed the playoff , finishing third after challenging for the championship at his baptism.
Niemann, who led the first two days, got off to a bad start. He is an experienced golfer, but he seemed shaken by the penalty given to him this morning. His first two riders were left-handed and the wind wasn’t blowing on Saturday. The heat was stifling—it felt like 34 degrees—and the humidity was approaching 60%, leaving nickels wet. Having recovered twice, he fulfilled two obligations. He couldn’t do the third one. The ball was swallowed up by mangroves on hole 3, also on the left. He had to save the penalty and took bogeys. Their difference came down to one hit.
Sergio’s Burden
It was clearly a day for the birds. It was taught by Cameron Smith, an Australian who pedaled on a stationary bike at 7:15 in the hotel gym and started with five in a row. Or Sergio, who had already beaten John by three strokes to settle at 10 under par, cheering on his friend Niemann, who found a breather on the par 5 6th hole.
It was a great battle with four opponents in two hits., including Burmester (-11). Four of them have seventy professional victories (more than half, 36, for Sergio), three major ones, but so far not a single victory on the tour promoted by Saudi Arabia. John, for obvious reasons.
The fight unfolded on nine holes, where adrenaline is seething, falls are not visible and any mistake is irreparable.. Smith joined him, his wrist hot again, and he caught Rahm at 9 under par. Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, two other former world No. 1s, awaited a decision.
The situation was interesting. John’s Legion Hutton (64) and young Surratt and Vincent were amazing. They dominated the team competition by a wide margin and eventually won. Only the boss was stuck, the same one who raised the morale of his troops with a motivational video the day before.
Spanish start
And it was then that the Spanish revolt broke out. Garcia finally found the right shot, burying it from four meters (-11) on the 14th, while John (-10) continued to struggle with the speed of the grass on the El Camaleon greens, paspalum, rare, hard to read.
That of Borriol tied it up with a great iron in the 15th round. and a blow to the head. So he took Koepka out of the equation forever, in that quarter of an hour when the whole tournament changed because Niemann, who was in the lead, bogeyed the 14th hole after going into the bunker (gods) and Rahm began his symphony and stuck out his fist after the first truly valuable birdie putt. There will certainly be a new winner in LIV.
All four carried out a coup along with the leader of the Fireballs (Sergio). is in the lead with four holes remaining. Rahm then hit a wonderful putt on the final par 3 (hole 15) to lift the emotions and connected with another birdie on 16. The tournament’s duel between two of the century’s best Spaniards, which never happened, took place on a prohibited course. Ironic. Niemann as international guest and all tied at 12 under par.
Garcia finished with the others having two holes left to win. or go to a tiebreaker. John made a rare mistake with his iron at the start of the 17th. He sent him out of bounds, punished him and had a bogey, a flaw he couldn’t correct and was rushed. His consolation was the victory of the team, which did not take place a week ago. It wasn’t a check for four million, but it was nice. l