Joaquin Niemann’s U.S. Open appeared to be unraveling on Friday morning. Instead, the Chilean star produced one of the most resilient responses of the championship.
Niemann was assessed a two-stroke penalty by the United States Golf Association (USGA) for breaching the player conduct policy under Rule 1.2b during the opening round of the 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Less than 40 minutes after learning of the penalty, he responded with a brilliant 5-under-par 65 to make the cut and keep his tournament alive.
The penalty stemmed from an incident late in Thursday’s opening round. According to details published by The Athletic, Niemann hit two tee shots out of bounds before a sequence of events that culminated in him throwing a club. After completing his weather-delayed first round on Friday morning, USGA officials informed him that the conduct violation would result in a two-shot penalty, turning a nine on the sixth hole into an 11.
The ruling immediately became one of the biggest talking points at Shinnecock Hills.
Despite the setback, Niemann quickly shifted his focus back to golf. He birdied five of his first six holes during his second round and eventually tied for the low round of the day with a 65.
Joaquin Niemann Accepts Responsibility After USGA Penalty
Speaking to reporters after his round, Niemann acknowledged his frustration while accepting responsibility for his actions.
“Yeah, I mean, I hit it two times out of bounds on the right, two bad swings,” Niemann said. “And then, yeah, I mean, I got pretty frustrated. And I’m not someone that, you know, like to be on that behavior. I’m the first one to judge myself when I don’t behave on the golf course.”
The 27-year-old admitted he believed the punishment was severe but accepted the decision.
“Yeah, I mean, that was a misbehave from my part,” Niemann said. “I felt like I got a little bit extra penalized with two shot penalty, but I think it is what it is, and you know, I think I’m going to learn from it.”
Niemann also explained the emotions behind the incident.
“I’m not proud of it,” he said. “But yeah, I mean, sometimes, you know, all the expectation of trying to play well and you know things doesn’t go your way, you get frustrated and that was me there.”
When asked whether a dispute involving fire ants contributed to the situation, Niemann clarified that his frustration stemmed primarily from poor shots and missed opportunities.
“I work hard every day to give me my best chance on winning,” he said. “And yeah I mean I hit two terrible tee shots.”
Joaquin Niemann Battles Back at Shinnecock Hills After Rules Controversy
Pete Cowan, Niemann’s instructor, said afterward: “It’s arbitrary
The controversy did not end with the penalty announcement.
Before speaking with the media, Niemann and members of his team met with USGA senior director of rules Craig Winter near the driving range. Members of Niemann’s camp questioned the consistency of how Rule 1.2b is enforced.
Instructor Pete Cowen voiced concerns about the discretionary nature of the ruling.
“It’s arbitrary because they picked him out of a load of people who threw clubs yesterday and give him a two-shot penalty,” Cowen said. “It’s either got to be two shots for throwing a club for everybody or not.”
While Niemann’s team challenged the application of the rule, the player himself focused on moving forward. He revealed that it took only a short period to regain his composure before beginning his second round.
“Took me probably 30 minutes to get over it, then two minutes to hit some tee shots, two putts, and then go out,” Niemann said. “Nice birdie on the 1st and the 2nd. So, yeah, it was a good start.”
That response ultimately became the story of the day.
Instead of allowing the penalty to derail his championship, Niemann produced one of the strongest rounds at Shinnecock Hills and ensured he would be around for the weekend. While the debate surrounding the USGA’s decision is likely to continue, Niemann’s ability to recover from the setback may prove just as significant as the penalty itself as the tournament moves into the final two rounds.
Joaquin Niemann Breaks Silence After US Open Penalty, Fires 65 at Shinnecock Hills