LIV Golf star makes shock return to DP World Tour

Joaquin Niemann has seen his official world golf ranking plummet since joining LIV Golf  in 2022 and, in an effort to stop the rot, he will be teeing it up on the DP World Tour this weekend. 

Niemann, 25, was a stellar signing for the LIV Golf League in 2022, with the young Chilean having put his stamp on the PGA Tour at a young age, more than $13m in a relatively short career.

Ranked 15th in the Official World Golf Ranking at the peak of his form, Niemann has seen his ranking drop to as low as 87th since joining the breakaway league.

With LIV still not qualifying for OWGR points since its last application was turned down in October of 2023, Niemann has had to think outside the box in order to help him qualify for all four major championships in 2024. 

Due to the rejected application late last year, the young Chilean fought his way back up the rankings with a win at the Australian Open, an event co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia. 

The decision to compete proved to be a valuable one, with Niemann, not only taking home silverware but also a spot at the 2024 Open Championship. 

Despite that, he clearly has his heart set on the remaining three majors of the year, which has lead him to commit to this week's Dubai Desert Classic. 

The participation of LIV Golf players in DP World Tour events has ruffled feathers in the past with players and fans alike, but Niemann has insisted that he is not trying to take other players' places; all he wants is to qualify for the majors.

Speaking to the Mirror, he said:

Clearly aware that his decision may be an unpopular one amongst his peers, Niemann will be looking to create as little fuss as he can before heading back to LIV. However, he did make one final plea to the organisers of the four majors to make it easier for LIV players to qualify.

He added: 

With rumours circulating that Jon Rahm has requested that LIV change its format in order to be able to gain OWGR points, this could be the last time Niemann needs to risk criticism in order to work his way back up the rankings. However, until then, it looks like LIV players playing on the DP World Tour might become a more regular occurrence. 

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