MEN'S OLYMPIC GOLF COMPETITION

August 1, 2024

Joaquin Niemann

Le Golf National

Chile

Quick Quotes

Q. Can you just talk about the nice start you got off to today?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: It was a good start. I played solid for the whole day. My problem is two tee shots on the last two hole but other than that it was a great day. Gave myself a lot of chances, hit good iron shots. Good day.

Q. Good incentive if you win here, you would get in all the majors next year. Is that in your mind?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Yeah, obviously I'm trying to win and whatever comes after that, it comes. I'm here just to have a good week and enjoy that and we'll see what it brings after that.

Q. Were you nervous? How did it feel to be on the first tee of the Olympics?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: I have some expectations after Japan, we didn't have any crowds. I was excited to see what was going to happen here. I was also surprised there's a lot of people out here. Victor was in front of me and you could tell how they were cheering for me. It was pretty cool for the first day.

Q. Was it more than you thought?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Yeah, it was more than I thought.

Q. Does it feel like a different tournament or a golf tournament?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: It does feel a little different. I grew up representing my country and using these colours and having my flag on my side. So it does feel like back in the day when I was able to play for my country and with teammates. It does feel like back then. It does feel more special than any other golf tournament.

It's been a little tough, my fourth week in a row, I'm a little tired, so I'm trying to save energy for this week.

Q. Does it feel removed from the rest of the Games? A lot of the other Olympic events are close together and athletes are co mingling and this event is happening an hour outside of town.

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Yeah, I don't think you can have a golf course in the middle of the town, right. I don't think it's that far. I feel like it's a great event here in Paris.

Q. Do you think they have to look at the entry criteria for the Olympics next time given the World Ranking?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: That's not on me.

Q. What do you think?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: They will find a way.

Q. Do you think it's fair the way it is?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: No.

Q. Why?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: You tell me. I don't think it's fair.

Q. In what respect?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Because you don't have the best players right now I feel like.

Q. Here?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Yeah.

Q. That's kind of what I'm getting at.

Despite that, you made it a point to try to earn ranking points wherever you could this year, and it helped you. How problematic was it? How difficult was that? You went to some far away places.

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Yeah, I feel like it's what I do and I feel like right now, there's a little bit of a crisis and things that have to be fixed. I just play another week of golf and try to earn my way into the majors, and that's what I did last year.

Q. When LIV is done this year, what will you do?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: I don't know yet. I would love to play some DP World Tour events. I don't know if I'm going to be allowed or not, but yeah, I would love to play some events.

But yeah, if I can get some World Ranking and see if I can get any spots into the majors, yeah.

Q. But you're a member now?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: I'm a member, yeah. I don't know if I'm a likable member but I'm a member (laughter).

I'm going to try my best, yeah.

Q. Do you know if you win, you get into all four majors next year?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: If you didn't have those four majors for a win, I would have the same intensity. I will have the same motivation to win. I mean, I feel like this is Olympics and got to focus more on winning medals than winning my way into the majors.

Q. How do you feel if this was more of a team event?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Yeah, that's what they were talking the other day. I feel like in the Olympics you can make some special stuff. You can play team events, mixed men and woman events, and also having individual.

Yeah, I feel like they could mix it a little bit. It would be probable more incentive for the countries to follow, and not follow just one guy and the whole country. It would be cool.

Q. In Chile, what percentage of the people know what the PGA Championship is versus a Gold Medal?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Yeah, they know more what's a Gold Medal than a golf tournament for sure.

Q. Is it even close?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: No. I feel like oath 2 percent of chilly know what is PGA TOUR is or LIV Golf is and the other 98 percent, I feel like they all know -- probably a hundred percent of them, they all know what the Olympics are.

Q. Does that make you want it even more because it would be such a big deal in your home country?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: Yeah, it would be awesome.

Q. Is it your understanding that to play DP World Tour events you'd have to pay some fines going forward or has that been communicated to you at all?

JOAQUÍN NIEMANN: I don't know. I don't have more information about that.