Joaquin Niemann shoots magic 59 as Jon Rahm finishes poorly at LIV Golf Mayakoba
Chile's Joaquin Niemann fired a stunning first-round 59 to open up a five-stroke lead at LIV Golf Mayakoba.
Joaquin Niemann fired a blistering 12-under 59 in the first round of the LIV Golf Mayakoba to open up a commanding five-stroke lead.
Niemann, 25, drained 10 birdies and holed out for eagle on the par-4 11th en route to posting the second sub-60 round in LIV Golf history.
Bryson DeChambeau hit an incredible 58 to runaway with the LIV Golf Greenbrier tournament last season.
Niemann started his opening round at Mayakoba with a par on the par-4 2nd in the shotgun start.
The Torque GC captain then rattled in five consecutive birdies before two more on the 9th and 10th.
Then he produced a moment of magic by holing out his approach shot to the 11th for a stunning eagle-two.
Slamming it in for eagle @joaconiemann is on a heater #LIVGolf @TorqueGC_ pic.twitter.com/CCv2Gt4xNL
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) February 2, 2024
With 59 on his mind, Niemann was up to the task in hand as he birdied the 13th, 15th and 17th to move to 12-under par thru 16.
The Chilean did his best to match DeChambeau's round of 58 last season but he could only muster two pars on 18 and 1.
Nevertheless Niemann's round of 12-under 59 saw him open up a huge five-stroke lead over former Masters champion Patrick Reed.
Incredibly Niemann did not realise he was on for a 59 down the 18th hole until he soon discovered Mayakoba was a par-71.
Watch Niemann's hilarious interview here:
Joaco Niemann said he didn’t know he was on a 59 until people were shouting at him on the 18th.
“Shit, it’s a par 71!”
Incredible mindset. That’s called being fully in the zone! pic.twitter.com/lLSyHKYJbJ— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) February 2, 2024
Sergio Garcia finished a further stroke back on 6-under par.
LIV Golf debutant Jon Rahm got off to a flyer with five birdies on the first seven holes but he stumbled coming home with bogeys on 17 and 18 to finish seven strokes off the pace on 5-under par.
It was a first round to forget for LIV Golf debutants Tyrrell Hatton and Adrian Meronk, who carded rounds of 72 and 75 respectively.
LIV Golf Mayakoba R1 Leaderboard
-12 J Niemann (Chi)
-7 P Reed (US)
-6 S Garcia (Spa)
-5 J Rahm (Spa), L Canter, R Bland (Eng)
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