LIV GOLF SINGAPORE

March 15, 2025

Joaquin Niemann

Sentosa Golf Club

Torque GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome Joaquín Niemann, captain of Torque GC. You're tied for the lead at 11-under par after two rounds here at LIV Golf Singapore presented by Aramco following an impressive second-round score of 7-under par 64. Talk us through your round today.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I started on No. 2. It's kind of like a tough stretch. Obviously you play the par-3, with how windy it is, it's a little tricky. It's in between clubs. Then you go to No. 3 which is one of the scariest tee shots. I birdied No. 3 with a beautiful 5-iron I hit into the green. Then birdied the other par-5, as well, with a great bunker shot.

I feel like during the whole day it was pretty solid. I was hit the ball really nice. I was putting really good, so I think that helped me to develop the extra shots because it was a similar round to yesterday but just I made a few more putts. I feel like that changed the whole momentum of the round.

It was a great round. I feel like it was a round, like a decent -- it was kind of a hard stretch at the end. It was blowing a little bit harder. 15 is a tough hole. We were hitting 5-irons into that green. Yeah, it wasn't the best shots I hit on the last few holes. A little frustrated with that three-putt on 18. Other than that, it was a pretty solid day, being tied for the lead.

Q. After the round yesterday you said you felt happy with how you played. You were getting up-and-down well. How would you compare the two rounds?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I felt like they were pretty similar rounds. I hit it pretty similar. I took advantage on a few tees where I was hitting driver, and on the par-5s, I really took advantage on those. But I feel like I gave away two shots on 18, the first round and the second round.

But the main difference was my putting. My putting was on today. I made good putts during the whole day. So yeah, that kept me in the round.

Q. Torque are seven back of the 4Aces in the team championship at 11-under par. What's the game plan for you and for the team going into tomorrow?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I saw the leaderboard. It was a tough day for -- other than my round, it wasn't pretty solid for the team. But we're still up there. We're just seven shots behind, which I feel like on a Sunday, especially with four scorecards, it could be a good day for us.

I think we're excited for that. I'm going to go see the boys now and have some lunch and get ready for tomorrow.

Q. Tomorrow you will be playing with Dustin. How does that feel to be going head-to-head with him?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I mean, he's playing good. Definitely, he's playing great. He said he was struggling a little bit with his body in Hong Kong, and being able to see him grinding these last couple days, you can tell he's an athlete, and he's really talented. It's going to be a fun day tomorrow. I'm excited for that. Hopefully we can both play some good golf and let the best win.

Q. What's the mindset going into tomorrow?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, still the same mindset. I think my mindset during the whole week is kind of stay focused on the shots that I'm trying to hit at the moment. There's a lot of wind out there. There are some tricky lies because of the fairways, some of them are into the grain, some of them are downgrain. There's tough pin positions out there.

You've got to really stay focused on your shot and be committed with it. That's my main goal tomorrow, stay committed to the shots I'm trying to hit, and whatever I hit, I'm going to go hit it again.

Q. Yesterday I saw you had quite a nice moment with a young fan who gave you a bracelet.

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I still have it here. It's nice.

Q. Talk about that interaction and why you decided to wear the bracelet today?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, it was special. Normally on the first tee they have the little sharks where all the kids are standing on the side and one of them was trying to reach out to me because she had a wristband. Yeah, I told her to come over. Scott was there. She helped me out to bring her, and I met her. She gave me the wristband, and I will see if it's a lucky charm.

Q. Joaco, I think the last time you and DJ played in the final group, I don't know if you remember, but it was 2022 Boston. Do you owe him one?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah. Yeah, definitely. I still remember that day. It was my first week on LIV, and I almost -- he got it going, I got it going. I felt like I was the leader for a few holes, and he birdied back and then he made an amazing putt on the playoff hole.

It's always fun playing with DJ, so I'm excited for that tomorrow.

Q. Obviously the only major you're not in right now is the U.S. Open. We've got one exemption. Is that somewhere in your mind right now, like if you can get to No. 1 on the standings?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, definitely. I've got to get to the -- first of all, I want to obviously win the tournament, and then I think all the rest will pay for itself. But it's definitely on my mind that if I got -- there's a spot for the U.S. Open which I'm not in.

Yeah, it would be nice to have a good Sunday and have that opportunity to go past Sergio and have that lead. I feel like I'm still a few weeks away from that qualifier cut, so this definitely will help.

Q. Can you draw on last season at all because when you won for the second time, you basically led the points standings for the next eight or nine tournaments, I think. How much does that play into it in terms of your mental approach?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, like I said before to another question, I feel like obviously that's really far ahead. If I start thinking there is so much stuff that I can go ahead and put myself not in the present moment, and I feel like when I play my best game is when I'm in the present moment.

Obviously if I win and it's a long story, anything can happen. But I feel like there's a lot of golf to play. I really enjoy having 18 holes to play and having a chance to win. I feel like I really enjoy that, being in that position. Mainly excited for that, for getting myself a chance tomorrow if I have a good day and I have a chance to win. That's why I'm looking forward to it.

Q. How would you compare your form now to, say, a year ago when you won twice?

JOAQUIN NIEMANN: I mean, I would like to say that I'm always improving. I feel like that's my reason that I play golf is to always keep improving and is there something that I can get better. I'm going to go out and try to figure it out and practice and try to improve it.

Yeah, I feel like I wouldn't say in the best form. I'm just in different form. It's just a different part of the year. It's another year. I feel like I have more experience. So yeah, I feel different.