LIV Golf hit by ‘one of the worst case scenarios’ at UK event, says Joseph LaMagna

Niemann has had another mixed year, with his best result coming at the PGA Championship when he finished tied for eighth. His wait for that breakthrough moment in a major championship continues.

Following his missed cut at The Open Championship, Niemann parted ways with both his coach and caddie. It didn’t seem like the ideal setup heading into JCB.

In light of that, Joseph LaMagna told Fried Egg Golf that LIV likely didn’t need the golfer surrounded by so much uncertainty to come out on top in what was a straightforward victory.

“I don’t know if Joaquin is the worst case winner for LIV each week. But I was thinking about it today, Joaquin is one of the worst case scenarios to win on LIV. No one seems to really care. He’s won five times on LIV now this year and hasn’t made any noise in a major championship,” he said.

“He changed swing coaches and his caddie this past week. What does it say that he’s not satisfied with the state of things when he has five wins on LIV this year? I think that’s pretty indicative of him realising the lack of strength to the field. And even Jon Rahm making similar comments at the US Open and being annoyed about the top 10 streak on LIV, saying explicitly if these fields were bigger and deeper, I wouldn’t have a top 10 streak going. I think these guys know, and Joaquin probably had a bit of a wake-up call this year at the major championships, realising his game isn’t probably where he thinks that it is.”

Niemann opens up about changes to his coaching staff

Some players seem to perform even better when things aren’t going their way. Scottie Scheffler, for instance, shot what many consider the best round of his career just hours after being arrested last year.

Niemann’s wins following majors this season haven’t been one-offs, either. He has now won the LIV event after three of the four majors this year. After pulling six shots clear in Saturday’s round, the 26-year-old spoke about his decision to make changes behind the scenes.

“I’d say it’s been a little weird the last two, three weeks. There’s been obviously a few movements on my team. At the same time, it is what it is,” he said.

“I’m really grateful for them, for the two people that they are not working with me anymore on the team, but it’s part of it, and I feel like I was pretty frustrated at the beginning of this week after a bad result, obviously, at The Open as well and all the rest kind of going on.

“I feel like – not low, but I wasn’t – like going on the golf course going into this week, I wasn’t feeling that confident at all, and I think it was just keep doing the same work that I’m used to and keep working with my team and why we work every time, stay positive with myself. I’ve been staying in the house with Carlos, Sebastian and Mito. That’s always good fun. You have a laugh here now and then, it’s always good for yourself, and I’m just grateful to have around the people I am right now, and I’m just grateful with the position I am with the people I am and to be able to do this for a living, it’s a gift.”