LIV GOLF JEDDAH

March 2, 2024

Joaquin Niemann

Royal Greens Golf & Country Club

Torque GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back, Joaquín Niemann, captain of Torque GC. Another brilliant round today, 6-under par total, 13-under par, top of the leaderboard. Talk us through your day.

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: It was a great day. Way better day than yesterday. The way I started I was obviously playing great. I started with seven pars in a row and I didn't get off to a hot start like I did yesterday, and I kept playing better and better during the day. I really take positive the way I played at the end of the last couple holes today.

Q. Was there a moment where the birdies started falling? Did something click?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: No, I think it was just being patient. Everything I was doing, I was hitting it great, I was putting great. I just didn't make birdies.

Like on No. 4 I had a good chance and didn't make birdie there. The wind was playing a little bit more into than normally, so I think it was playing a little bit longer. Then I hit a great shot on No. 8 to make birdie there, and I made a great putt on No. 9, too, kind of gave me a lot of confidence and momentum for the round.

I kept hitting good shots. On 10 I hit a great bunker shot. It was just being patient and just staying in the moment, and I ended up doing good putts, good birdies.

Q. Joaco, obviously you're on this hot streak. What would it mean to complete the deal tomorrow? That would be two wins in the first three LIV events. What kind of message would that be for you and also to the rest of the golfing world?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Yeah, really that's my goal is to win this week. I know there's a lot of golf to play tomorrow. There's a lot of shots that I've got to hit tomorrow, and I've got to be confident doing those.

I'm still a long, long way away from the position where I want to be. I just go from there, and hopefully tomorrow have a great day, too, see my shots, stay calm, and just do the same. I know it sounds easy to just keep doing the same, but it's just the same.

Q. If you had to pinpoint one aspect of your game since Australia that has kind of really carried you through this stretch or maybe there was a change or something like that, what would you cite?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Everything is going a little better. I think my driving since Australia has been so good. I've been able to hit all the trajectories that I want to and been confident with those and be aggressive off the tee. Hitting that high draw more often that I normally do. Doing that shot, I gain at least 20 yards on the other routine low cut that I had before.

Being confident with that high draw I think has helped me a lot being confident on the rest of my game so I can be more aggressive off the tee, on my second shots. Also, everything is going better. Around the green, I feel like I'm chipping a lot better. I think that's something that I still need a lot of work. I know I can get a lot better around the greens, and I think that's what you need to play really good and consistent golf, especially in the majors.

Q. If I had to ask you to pinpoint one shot you were really pleased with and your best birdie of the day?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: I think on 18, my second shot on 18. It was a weird lie. It was kind of on the first cut, a little into the grain. Hit my 4-iron, my rescue, and I was trying to draw it around the water kind of aiming at the right bunkers, and if I hit it straight it was going to be in the bunkers. It was a tricky lie. I hit a good swing, and it ended up being on the green pin high on the left, which I think it was a great shot.

Q. What was the yardage from where you hit?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: I had like 236 to the front, and I was just playing for the front and knew it was going to release. It was a good number. It was a tricky lie, but it ended up being pretty good.

Q. Was that the best birdie of the day also for you?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: I was just thankful that that shot on 18 was good, but I think my best shot of the day I think was on No. 10, the bunker shot. I had like an uphill lie. The pin was all the way in the back. It was like a 40-yard bunker shot with the wind, and I had to land it all the way there. I hit a 60-degree from there, and I think it's kind of like a hybrid shot because you hit it clean and it's going way past the green, and you could also hit it pretty fat, too. It was a great shot. That was my favorite of the day.

Q. Are you more proud of the fact how you were patient for seven holes, did not get a birdie despite playing so well? Was that a matter of great pride for you?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Yeah, I felt really happy when I finished the round with how I was patient. I couldn't make birdies on No. 4. On No. 2, I hit a good putt. There could have been a few birdies before No. 8, but I knew -- kind of told myself that I know I can make birdie on every hole here. I just need to keep hitting my shots, and I don't need to lose any focus because of not making birdies, and I think I just stayed with my same game, and just being patient and waiting for those birdies to come.