History suggests that the US Open may provide Joaquin Niemann with the perfect opportunity to redeem himself in the years to come.
Joaquin Niemann hit the headlines during the third major of the year after receiving a penalty during his opening round at Shinnecock Hills.
The Chilean let his anger get the better of him after hitting two tee shots out of bounds on the sixth hole, before then having a ruling go against him when he wanted to be able to drop his ball.
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Niemann threw his club a significant distance, and was subsequently handed a two-shot penalty.
What followed was one of the most impressive performances of the week at the US Open.
Joaquin Niemann proved a real point with his US Open performance
Niemann ended up finishing in a tie for seventh. In fact, had he made a double bogey on the sixth hole on Thursday and every score been the same, he would have ended up in a playoff with Wyndham Clark.
It was Clark’s week for some redemption having been banned from Oakmont on the previous occasion he played in the US Open.
Clark angered many when pictures emerged showing the damage he had done to the locker room as he missed the cut. Clearly, he is still some way from being considered a fan favourite. But his display last week was outstanding when you consider how desperate the crowd were to see someone else win.
The US Open has been a major for redemption over the last decade – and that should give Niemann plenty of confidence.
How the US Open became the major for redemption
Back in 2016, Dustin Johnson was looking to banish the memories of the previous year at Chambers Bay when he three-putted on the final green to hand Jordan Spieth victory.
Johnson was also handed a contentious penalty in the final round at Oakmont, but went on to secure his first major title.
Elsewhere, Jon Rahm won at Torrey Pines in 2021 in his first start after having to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament while six shots clear having tested positive for COVID-19.
The 2024 US Open was the crowning moment for Bryson DeChambeau. While it was not his first major title, it was the first since he has become one of the game’s most popular players.
Few will ever forget the scenes at Pinehurst of DeChambeau running alongside the crowds to allow the spectators to touch the trophy.
And J.J. Spaun certainly had his redemption back at Oakmont in 2025.
Spaun not only lost in a playoff at The Players Championship to Rory McIlroy earlier in the season, but he also seemed to play his way out of contention at the US Open when he made a nightmare start to his final round.
Niemann has the game to become a major champion
Niemann still has plenty of work to do. For all his talent, he still only has two top 10s in the majors. He has never finished higher than seventh at one of the four biggest events of the year.
But there are not many players with better reason to wonder what could have been at Shinnecock Hills than the LIV Golf star.
That should absolutely fuel him for Pebble Beach next year.
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