Joaquin Niemann will have an opportunity to secure his best ever finish at The Masters, with the Chilean making the cut on the number at Augusta National on Friday.
While Rory McIlroy‘s second round perhaps shows that writing anyone off at The Masters is still quite dangerous, it does appear that Joaquín Niemann has just a little too much to do to put himself in contention to win the green jacket.
The LIV Golf star will be out in the second group of the day on Saturday alongside Jordan Spieth after posting a two over par 74 in the second round.
Niemann endured two very contrasting nines at Augusta National on Friday. He made three bogeys and a double bogey on the second nine to leave himself in a precarious position. Meanwhile, he reached the turn having made seven pars and two birdies.
But perhaps that does not tell the full story.
Smylie Kaufman amazed by Joaquin Niemann’s shot on Friday at The Masters
Niemann somehow made a par on the seventh hole after leaving himself in bother off the tee. The 26-year-old had a line to the green, but faced the dilemma of not being able to go high because of the overhanging trees while also needing to ideally find a way to navigate the large bunkers which protect the green.
Remarkably, Niemann’s punch shot managed to find one of the extremely narrow pathways of grass going from the fairway and up onto the putting surface. And he left himself a genuine birdie opportunity.
While he could not make the putt, Smylie Kaufman told The Smylie Show that he was blown away by the quality of the approach.
“I’ve got a couple of best and worst to go over. Best shot I saw today was Joaquin Niemann on the seventh hole – most absurd thing I’ve ever seen. It landed probably about four steps short of the bunkers and then that second bounce was in between, and then third bounce was on the green,” he said.
“Luckily enough I was on the call for it, and I was so excited. I argued that this might be the best shot at the seventh hole. I might have gone a little too far because there’s probably been a lot of great shots at the seventh hole, but maybe the best recovery shot on the seventh hole of all-time.”
How many LIV Golf players have joined Niemann in making the cut at The Masters
It probably would have surprised many had they been told that Niemann would be last at the halfway stage of the LIV Golf players who made the weekend at The Masters.
Bryson DeChambeau is in the mix to win, while Tyrrell Hatton is tied for fifth. Patrick Reed and Bubba Watson will feel that they are not out of contention yet.
Meanwhile, Charl Schwartzel and Jon Rahm join Niemann on two over par.
The likes of Dustin Johnson, Sergio García and Phil Mickelson will not be involved over the final two days. Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith join them in missing the cut.
Despite quality of the star names who will play no further part, there does appear to be a reasonable chance that it will be a LIV player celebrating on Sunday evening.
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