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A MILITARY TRIBUTE AT THE GREENBRIER

September 15, 2019

Joaquin Niemann

White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started. Like to welcome our 2019 champion, Joaquin Niemann, winner of A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier. The first player in PGA TOUR history from Chile to win. Joaquin, if we can get your thoughts. Congratulations.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Thank you. Yeah, it's been unbelievable, yeah, for my whole country. They were watching me. I got a couple text from them, so really happy to get the trophy for my family, for my coach, and everyone back there in Chile.

Just unbelievable. Can't get better.

THE MODERATOR: Just a dominating victory. The largest win in this tournament's history with your 6-shot victory. Comment on the week as a whole and what really worked for you this week.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, from the beginning of the week, since the first day, I felt with a lot of confidence coming off like three weeks off. So I feel like fresh. I was playing really good. I had practice a lot with my coach this off-season, so my game was feeling great. Mentally was awesome.

So I was just feel like I was going to win this tournament since the first day. I was in a really good mindset.

THE MODERATOR: Got one of your first starts on the PGA TOUR at this event as an amateur. Talk about what the Greenbrier means to you.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, the Greenbrier has been awesome with me. Has treat me really well. It was the first tournament I play on PGA tour. I was an amateur and finish like 20 something, so it was unbelievable place. I wanted to come back the next year, and the crazy life it is, the next year was getting my card here in this event.

And then this year was the year after I won my first PGA TOUR event, so it's just crazy. I mean, I love this place. I been playing really good golf here, so going to be here couple more times.

THE MODERATOR: And before questions, obviously this sets you up well to hopefully get a call from Captain Els. Talk about your aspirations of making the Presidents Cup team.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, being on the Presidents Cup is just a dream. It's a really good team this year. We are a lot of good players, and I know that there is a lot of good players fighting for the first spots.

I know it's going to be tough, and this win definitely helps to get a little -- probably a little help to get in the first spots. But I don't know yet. Just got to be patient and get a couple more tournaments to have good golf and hopefully get in that team.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you for that. Open it up to questions.

Q. Winning at such a young age, how do you keep your composure? It got tight there.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I got to say this morning I woke up and I was -- I just couldn't think about this moment, like holding the trophy. I was like, Man, take it easy. We got 18 holes to play. Don't think about that yet. Just go out there and have fun.

I just couldn't think about that moment in the entire day, so I was just trying to think about anything else. My caddie is very funny so he was just talking to me and make me laugh to just try to forget about that.

So, yeah, definitely that helps. Then the last couple holes I was feeling great. I was really enjoying.

Q. You finished 29th here as an amateur, finished tied for fifth here last year; you win the tournament. What is it about the Old White that just kind of speaks to you as a golfer? What allows you to play so well on this course?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I mean, just feeling better. Doesn't matter if your golf is feeling good, just if you're feeling like good off the course you're definitely going to play better.

This is a nice resort where you can do a lot of things to get distract about playing golf. So there is a lot of activities to do and try to forget that moment, so that definitely helps to just get your mind out of the course.

Q. Did you realize that Hoge had tied you at that point when you made the turn?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I saw that -- when I make bogey on No. 9, I saw the leaderboard and I was tied for -- with Tom Hoge. And, yeah, I mean, I knew that if I just keep focus on my game I could do a lot of birdies. I got two more par-5s. Yeah, I mean, just keep focus on that. I hit really good shots there and made a lot of birdies.

Q. Can you talk quickly about your putting. You didn't rank very high in strokes gain last year putting; this week I think 8 plus on strokes gained.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Pretty good.

Q. Yeah. You led the field. Are you doing anything differently?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I start work with the Perfect Putt. That helps me a lot to visualize the break, visualize the speed, and just get in your mind -- just trust that line and just hit it.

It's been working out really good for me, and my coach also likes how I work that, so it's good.

Q. You played really good today. There was a couple key moments there on 6 and 11 where you made really important pars. Talk about those two holes.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, No. 6 I just didn't hit that driver pretty good. It was like 280 carry. I can carry that easily, but I just missed a little bit that driver and didn't carry and get a really bad lie. Just didn't want to go for the green. That ball couldn't go anywhere, so just lay up from there. I know if I hit a good shot from 90 yards I can leave it pretty close.

Then on 11 I get another bad lie there and just get an unplay, and also save really good there.

Q. You said there were a lot of things to do here to get your mind off golf. What were some of those things that you did during the tournament?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, my favorite was going to the off-roading up in the mountains with Harold and Carlos. It was really fun. We were there for like two hours, and just I was -- I think it was on Tuesday. I wanted to do back again but just couldn't do it.

Yeah, I mean, definitely next year I'm going again.

Q. That was off-roading just...
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Like a race car.

Q. Race car?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah. I don't know how to say it in English.

Q. And you weren't worried about getting hurt or anything like that?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: No. In that moment it was fun. (Laughter.)

Q. Congratulations on your first win.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Thank you.

Q. In addition, you also won this week's competition for the RSM Birdies For Love Program. The winner of that has the most birdies or better this week, and you get to donate $50,000 of your choosing to a charity that benefits youth and family development. How do you feel about winning that?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, didn't know about that. That's awesome. It's great to be helping different kind of foundation. Yeah, I mean, when you play good you got a lot of good benefits. It's just great.

Hopefully can help.

Q. I know there is a lot going on in your mind, but any charity in particular you might want to donate these benefits to?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: I have no idea. I'll figure it out.

Q. Could you talk a little bit about how you got into playing golf and how big golf is back in Chile?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: I start playing golf, my dad introduce me to golf. He plays, but just for fun, for the weekends. He's not pretty good.

Yeah, right now in Chile golf is getting a lot bigger. Two or three years ago it was really small. Nobody plays, and just couple courses that weren't pretty good.

Right now it's getting way more better since I'm on tour. The media is getting a lot stronger and bigger in Chile talking about golf, so that's great. That helps really a lot my country to grow up the game and hopefully get more players from Chile on the PGA TOUR.

Q. You said that you didn't want to get ahead of yourself coming into today's round. When did it start to set in that you are going to get a chance to win this? We saw the fist pump on 17 and then the one on 18. But when did it set in?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I didn't want to think about that in any moment. By 16 I know that if I hit a good driver there it was a lot easier. I miss a little bit that driver on the right side, but I know it was going to be fine on that side because the pin was back left. Didn't have a great lie there, so after that shot I was like a lot of relief.

So, yeah, I mean, I make that putter and then I just knew that I was going to win, but I didn't want to make it real.

Q. Can you just talk about the emotions? We saw you kind of hit your putter and getting excited on the 18th tee.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, normally I'm not really like too excited any time. I normally like never do like fist pump and kind of those things.

Yeah, I mean, the emotions in that moment on the last couple holes was just crazy. I was just thinking on the first win I made when I was a kid and I was dreaming on this moment. So just make those putter on the last three holes was unbelievable. I couldn't resist it. It wasn't me. I just fist pump.

Q. When you were a kid did you ever know what you would do when you won a PGA TOUR event?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: I just never thought this moment was going to came. Now that I got my first victory, just unbelievable. I don't know what I'm going to do. I just can't wait to go back home and celebrate with my friends.

Q. Going off that, what do you expect the celebration to be like back in your home country?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: We can't talk about that. (Laughter.) I don't know. I mean, I got to wait until December because all my friends that study in the States are going back to Chile and I'm going back to Chile in December as well.

Probably just have a great barbecue. I love doing like steaks. Have a great Barbeque and try to be well with my friends and family and have a great time.

THE MODERATOR: You mentioned a big week for Chile as well. Talk about that this week.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, the 18 of September is the independence of Chile, so, yeah, it's pretty big for our country of course.

And they got a big holiday during like all the week, so I wish I was back there. I think I like more this moment. Yeah, it's big day for us.

Q. You said you'd gotten some texts and stuff. Who has texted you? What have they said? Have you heard from your parents?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I was talking with my girlfriend and she's flying tonight. She's going to next week. She's going to be with me. She couldn't be here this week. That would be great. I'll see her next week.

I was talking with my coach, too. He got to be pretty happy because I'm pretty happy too with all the work we have done. Big accomplish for us.

Yeah, my family, my group chats with my friends and all of then. I can't see them all right now. Im going to take my time on this night.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on the victory.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Thank you. Appreciate it.

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