Joaquin Niemann Wins Historic Ninth LIV Golf Title in New York
Joaquin Niemann strengthened his place among LIV Golf’s most successful players by capturing his ninth career title at LIV Golf New York on Sunday, overcoming a challenging final round at Trump National Bedminster.
The 27-year-old Chilean, captain of Torque GC, entered the final round with a two-shot advantage and carded a 2-under 69 to finish at 16 under par, three shots clear of Harold Varner III.
“It’s a great feeling to have, especially coming down the stretch on how tough this golf course is,” Niemann said.
Niemann appeared in control for much of the final round, but Varner remained within striking distance through the opening 11 holes. The tournament shifted decisively on the 12th when Varner made his first bogey of the day.
Niemann responded immediately on the par-4 13th, sinking a remarkable 58-foot birdie putt to restore his two-shot cushion.
“I was going to be pretty happy with two putts there, and it was quite a surprise to make that one,” Niemann said. “It was one of those that I just got to be grateful about it and just go pick it up and run. It was a big moment.”
Two holes later, Niemann delivered the decisive blow. His second shot on the par-5 15th finished 26 feet from the hole, and he converted the eagle putt to effectively put the championship beyond Varner’s reach.
The victory was Niemann’s second in his last four LIV Golf starts and his ninth overall. He has now won twice in 2024, five times in 2025 and twice during the 2026 season.
“It’s fun. For me it’s good motivation to win. I love winning,” Niemann said. “I love to come here and work my ass and try to have the best chance possible to win.”
Niemann’s victory also made him the fifth wire-to-wire winner on the LIV Golf circuit this season.
Varner finished second at 13 under, while Lee Westwood of Majesticks GC and Scott Vincent of HyFlyers GC shared third at 9 under. Vincent’s result was the best finish of his LIV Golf career.
Crushers Claim Team Championship
While Niemann dominated the individual competition, Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC secured the team championship.
The Crushers finished at 6 over par, edging Legion XIII and Torque GC, who tied for second at 8 over. The victory gave the Crushers their 11th regular-season team title, making them the winningest team in LIV Golf history.
“It’s just the truth – when golf courses get tougher, it seems like we shine more for some reason,” DeChambeau said.
The victory was particularly impressive given the Crushers’ slow start. They opened the tournament at 11 over and were tied for 11th before steadily climbing the leaderboard.
Paul Casey led the Crushers individually, finishing tied for sixth at 6 under after a final-round 68. Anirban Lahiri finished tied for 17th at 1 over, while Charles Howell III tied for 28th at 4 over.
DeChambeau, meanwhile, finished tied for 38th after opening with rounds of 76 and 74.
“I need to get this thing back to even par, not just for myself but for my team,” DeChambeau said.
Rahm Clinches Third Straight Individual Title
Despite a difficult week, Jon Rahm secured his third consecutive LIV Golf Individual Championship.
The Legion XIII captain finished tied for 41st after a closing 5-over 76, his lowest finish in 36 completed LIV Golf starts. Rahm nevertheless had built an insurmountable lead in the season standings.
Rahm has 944.54 points, 218.34 ahead of DeChambeau. With only LIV Golf Indianapolis remaining in the regular season, and individual victories worth 200 points, Rahm cannot be overtaken.
“It’s been a great year,” Rahm said. “A little sour taste in my mouth because of how badly I played this week. But it’s been something to be proud of.”
Rahm won twice this season and added four runner-up finishes, giving him enough consistency to secure the championship before the final regular-season event.
“Most season-long races, you have to wait until the last event because the last event counts so much,” Rahm said. “This year to play as good as I did early on and have such a big lead that I can even enjoy not playing good this week and next week, it feels really good.”
The battle for second and third in the individual standings remains open. DeChambeau sits second with 726.20 points, followed by Niemann at 553.66, Lucas Herbert at 541.41 and Tyrrell Hatton at 453.23.
LIV Golf Indianapolis in two weeks will determine the remaining podium positions and close the regular season.
Joaquin Niemann’s victory at LIV Golf New York was more than another tournament win. His ninth career LIV Golf title reinforced his status as one of the league’s most accomplished and consistent players, while his performance at Trump National Bedminster demonstrated the combination of patience, confidence and closing ability required to win on a difficult golf course.
At 27, Niemann has already established an extraordinary winning record. His nine victories now match the combined total of Bryson DeChambeau’s five LIV titles and Jon Rahm’s four. That statistic illustrates just how quickly Niemann has separated himself from much of the competition.
The most impressive aspect of his New York victory was the way he responded when Harold Varner III threatened his lead. Niemann began the final round two shots ahead but found himself tied with Varner through 11 holes. Rather than allowing the pressure to change his approach, Niemann produced two decisive moments.
First came the 58-foot birdie putt on the 13th. Then, at the par-5 15th, he converted an eagle from 26 feet. Those two shots effectively transformed a competitive final round into a comfortable victory.
Niemann’s own reaction to the long birdie putt showed the mindset behind his success. Instead of treating the shot as something that had to be made, he described being prepared to accept two putts. That ability to remain relaxed while holding a lead can be crucial in championship golf.
His final-round 69 was particularly valuable because Bedminster clearly punished mistakes. Niemann finished at 16 under, becoming the fifth wire-to-wire winner on LIV Golf this season. He also won for the second time in his last four starts, suggesting that his form is developing at exactly the right stage of the season.
The team competition produced an equally interesting storyline. Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC won despite recording the highest winning team score in LIV Golf history at 6 over par. Their victory was built on depth rather than an outstanding individual performance from their captain.
DeChambeau finished only tied for 38th, but Paul Casey produced a top-six finish and a final-round 68. Anirban Lahiri and Charles Howell III also contributed enough to keep the Crushers ahead of Torque GC and Legion XIII.
That result highlights one of LIV Golf’s central differences from traditional individual golf competitions: a player can struggle personally while still contributing to a successful team campaign. DeChambeau acknowledged that responsibility, saying he needed to fight to get his score back toward even par “not just for myself but for my team.”
The biggest season-long story, however, belongs to Jon Rahm. His third consecutive Individual Championship demonstrates remarkable consistency. Rahm may have struggled badly at Bedminster, shooting 76 in the final round, but his season had already been strong enough to make the result irrelevant to the championship race.
His 944.54 points give him a massive advantage over DeChambeau, and the remaining contenders cannot catch him with only one regular-season event left.
The significance of Rahm’s achievement should not be underestimated. While Niemann is establishing himself as LIV’s most prolific tournament winner, Rahm has demonstrated that sustained excellence across an entire season remains equally valuable.
Ultimately, LIV Golf New York provided three important conclusions: Niemann continues to strengthen his legacy, the Crushers remain the league’s strongest team historically, and Rahm has established an unprecedented level of season-long dominance. With Indianapolis still to come, the individual battle for second and third could provide another compelling chapter to an increasingly competitive LIV Golf season.
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