Torque skipper Neimann loosk to seal individual title with handsome LIV Golf UK lead
Pipped by Jon Rahm at the post last year, Joaquin Neimann can all but seal the 2025 season-long individual championship with victory at LIV Golf UK even as his Torque team are in line to make it a title double.
- Jul 28, 2025,
- Updated Jul 28, 2025 6:22 PM IST
A year ago, Joaquin Niemann tied for second behind Jon Rahm at LIV Golf UK by JCB at Rocester in England. This time, Niemann takes a six-shot lead into the final round at JCB Golf and Country Club. In his five previous starts at the venue, Niemann is a combined 26 under par and on Saturday, he was one shot shy of tying the course record of 62.
“It's a great course for my eyes,” the captain of Torque GC said after his 8 under 63. “I feel like there's a lot of blind shots. There's a lot of left-to-right shots, left-to-right, right-to-left. You've got to move it around.
“You've got to use different types of shots off the tee, as well. I feel pretty confident on this course. Hopefully I can improve one position from last year, and I'll be pretty happy.
“All I’m thinking about is what I’m doing right now, having a great time out on the golf course. I’ve been playing great. I’ve been hitting my shots. I’ve been hitting my lines on the putter. They’ve been going in.
“All I’m worried about is that, and I’m going to keep being worried about that, and I think everything else is just going to take care of itself.”
On day two, Niemann produced five birdies in his first seven holes. Of his total nine birdie, four were from putts from outside 17 feet. He gained +3.09 strokes on the field with his putting, third-best performance of any player in the second round.
“I made a lot of putts,” the Chilean said. “I was laughing at it sometimes because I'm not used to seeing so many of those going in, and it's kind of cool to see that.”
It is also set to give Neimann a commanding lead in the individual championship race. If the current standings do not change radically individual competition, he stands to increase his margin in the race to nearly 50 points and a chance to up the title at the next event in Chicago in August.
Neimann’s Torque are also atop the team leaderboard, three strokes ahead of defending UK champions Legion XIII as they seek a first win since 2023. But they will need to hold off Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII and Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers, the two league-leading teams to pick up both trophies Sunday.
“It's his golf tournament to win as of right now,” said second-placed Bubba Watson, the RangeGoats GC captain who shot a 68 to be on 8 under. “If he goes out and plays half of what he's doing today, he wins it. We've got to shoot 10 under or something like that.
“Second place right now looks like it's a good place to finish, so it's going to be a battle for the second place, if nothing else.”
A strong finish would also move Watson into the guaranteed Lock Zone, as he’s projected to move up 14 spots, from 31st to 17th. A year ago, he finished 53rd.
“The last couple years, it's been a struggle,” Watson said. “Been a struggle mentally, physically and golf-wise. You want to play better, right? … I want to have a strong finish to the year, and I see that I can do it. Now, will I do it is the question. But I would love to finish in the top 20 if not better.”
A year ago, Joaquin Niemann tied for second behind Jon Rahm at LIV Golf UK by JCB at Rocester in England. This time, Niemann takes a six-shot lead into the final round at JCB Golf and Country Club. In his five previous starts at the venue, Niemann is a combined 26 under par and on Saturday, he was one shot shy of tying the course record of 62.
“It's a great course for my eyes,” the captain of Torque GC said after his 8 under 63. “I feel like there's a lot of blind shots. There's a lot of left-to-right shots, left-to-right, right-to-left. You've got to move it around.
“You've got to use different types of shots off the tee, as well. I feel pretty confident on this course. Hopefully I can improve one position from last year, and I'll be pretty happy.
“All I’m thinking about is what I’m doing right now, having a great time out on the golf course. I’ve been playing great. I’ve been hitting my shots. I’ve been hitting my lines on the putter. They’ve been going in.
“All I’m worried about is that, and I’m going to keep being worried about that, and I think everything else is just going to take care of itself.”
On day two, Niemann produced five birdies in his first seven holes. Of his total nine birdie, four were from putts from outside 17 feet. He gained +3.09 strokes on the field with his putting, third-best performance of any player in the second round.
“I made a lot of putts,” the Chilean said. “I was laughing at it sometimes because I'm not used to seeing so many of those going in, and it's kind of cool to see that.”
It is also set to give Neimann a commanding lead in the individual championship race. If the current standings do not change radically individual competition, he stands to increase his margin in the race to nearly 50 points and a chance to up the title at the next event in Chicago in August.
Neimann’s Torque are also atop the team leaderboard, three strokes ahead of defending UK champions Legion XIII as they seek a first win since 2023. But they will need to hold off Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII and Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers, the two league-leading teams to pick up both trophies Sunday.
“It's his golf tournament to win as of right now,” said second-placed Bubba Watson, the RangeGoats GC captain who shot a 68 to be on 8 under. “If he goes out and plays half of what he's doing today, he wins it. We've got to shoot 10 under or something like that.
“Second place right now looks like it's a good place to finish, so it's going to be a battle for the second place, if nothing else.”
A strong finish would also move Watson into the guaranteed Lock Zone, as he’s projected to move up 14 spots, from 31st to 17th. A year ago, he finished 53rd.
“The last couple years, it's been a struggle,” Watson said. “Been a struggle mentally, physically and golf-wise. You want to play better, right? … I want to have a strong finish to the year, and I see that I can do it. Now, will I do it is the question. But I would love to finish in the top 20 if not better.”