In two manual holes, both in the playoff, Joaquín Niemann secured his great 2024. Before the wedding he will celebrate in Santiago, Chile, the leader of the LIV Torque team won the Saudi International Series in Riyadh, an extension for the poster of players, of the League that drives this kingdom with exorbitant shovels of money.
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Niemann went to fix what he had ruined in the last five holes on Saturday. In the last round, after an accurate day, with six birdies in 12 holes to defend himself against Cameron Smith (62, 9 under par), another of the players from that league who has entered the Asian Tour this week, and Caleb Surratt, who had started one stroke away, Joaco arrived at the last hole with the need to make par to avoid putting the Australian in the equation and see what Jon Rahm’s dolphin would do in the Legion XIII. He had made two bogeys and had not taken advantage of a par 5, opening the door to the rest.
The Chilean, winner of four tournaments in the last 370 days, went to some bushes and barely advanced with the second shot, but from the fairway he played a really good third shot that left him an opportunity to make par, which he missed as Surratt had also done before, who did not reach the green until the fourth shot.
In the playoff, a fabulous first hole was played. The three contenders left the ball less than two meters from the hole with the second shot and made three birdies. They repeated the 18th and in somewhat more adverse circumstances for the American and Australian, not for Niemann, who again left it half a meter after a colossal driver, this time they missed the putt with the third shot, events that consecrated Niemann.
“It’s a great finishing touch to a great season and I’m proud of how I played the tiebreaker. It’s also a great tournament and the stage where we will return with the LIV next year, so I can’t say more,” said the South American golfer.
López Chacarra, sixth
Dedicated as it seems to play, for the moment, the Asian Tour, Eugenio López Chacarra once again showed signs of brilliance in yet another tournament. The Madrid native finished sixth with 65 strokes, the third consecutive tournament that he finished in the top 15, after having been fourteenth in Hong Kong and fifth in Qatar.
