GolfMagic recently got the opportunity to chat to Joaquin Niemann ahead of LIV Golf Hong Kong.
Niemann has been in red-hot form in 2024, winning twice on the rival league and also picking up a win in Australia on the DP World Tour.
The victory Down Under has seen the 26-year-old Chilean receive an invite into the Masters.
And he's also since been added to the field for the 2024 PGA Championship.
We spoke to Niemann about a number of topics such as:
Scroll down to read the transcript of our interview with Niemann:
GM: Why do you think 2024 has been the year of Joaquin Niemann so far?
JN:
"Obviously it's been an amazing start, probably better than I was dreaming of probably. I mean, I have been playing amazing golf since the end of last year. And now I mean, to be in this position, playing this good of golf and winning tournaments is something that I've been working on and been trying to do since is obviously turning pro. It's been nice."
GM: Obviously with LIV, you guys talk about having more of an offseason. How did you spend yours? What were you working on?
JN:
"Yeah, you know, the time off that we have now, I think, for me, it's been great. Because it's such a, I mean, if you're smart with your time, you can create such a good schedule for your year, where you can see where you're gonna be back home, when you're gonna be able to practice. And you know when you're going to be playing tournaments."
GM: What would you say is the strongest part of your game at the moment?
JN:
"Driving. I'm hitting my driver farther than any other time. I'm also straighter. So that is a good combination. If I can still be aggressive I can take advantage of that. I think that's where I get some advantage over the other players."
GM: A lot of people talk about your ball striking. Are you confident saying you're one of the best ball strikers on LIV currently?
JN:
"Yeah, I think so. I think, I think throughout my whole career I've been really consistent from tee to green. And it's something that is always getting better. It's something that I've been working on with my coach since I was 14. And it's something that you know, that we work really hard at and, and it's something that is been there for a while, and it's getting better during this time and it's been improving all the time. So, so yeah, it's one of my strongest part of my game."
GM: What is your go-to swing thought when you're hitting it well?
JN:
"I feel like every week I got a different swing. I feel like every week is different. Every week, I got a different feeling on my swing or my backswing or my take away or my swing weight. So [it does affect] my balance and my style. I think the key is to be is to know how to adjust to every week, and knowing which one is going to work and not going to take you far away from your baseline, you know? Because sometimes there's some good swing thoughts that are going to be good for a week but then your swing is going to start doing something that you don't want. So I think it's gotta be something kind of like in between."
GM: What's it like being a team captain on LIV? Are you involved a lot with the day-to-day or do you delegate to someone else?
JN:
"The three guys on the team, they're all close friends, so so it makes it a lot easier. You know, you can tell where they're at and they can tell where you're at and where your thoughts are. And it's something that we talked about at the beginning of the year, that we want to get better. I think the methodology that we have in our team is that you're always trying to get better, no matter where you're at [in the standings]."
GM: Moving onto a subject you are passionate about, the world rankings, I don't know if you saw but Rory McIlroy singled you out for praise when he addressed Talor Gooch's asterisk comment? What did it mean for you to see a comment like that from a player of his calibre given his previous criticism of LIV?
JN:
"I mean, it's pretty crazy what's happening right now and in the in the world of golf. But yeah, I mean, I had a chance to play with him in Dubai on the DP World, and I mean, it was a nice day. We both played amazing. And, and yeah, I mean, I kind of I was like, honestly, I was kind of leaving a message in Australia. My goal was to get into the majors and I think it was also good to play to some good golf. It was pretty good to hear Rory's comment about me, but at the end of the day I'm super happy I got an invite to the Masters and the PGA. There's a few more players that deserve to be there, but I'm more than thankful to have a chance in those majors.
GM: Which players are you referring to that you think deserve to be at Augusta National?
JN:
"I don't wanna name certain names, but I think there is a bunch of good players that have a chance to win majors. There's a lot of good players that can't because of their world ranking that can't get into the top 60. I think one day something is probably going to change or something's going to happen and we're going to create a system where everybody can coexist."
GM: The topic has been spoken about a lot, I know Bubba Watson suggested the top 10 in LIV's order of merit could be awarded spots in the majors. What do you think the fairest way to approach the situation is?
JN:
"I was also pretty positive about his idea of having the top 10 spots."
GM: What's it like having Jon Rahm involved with LIV Golf this season?
JN:
"Jon is great. I had the chance to kind of interact a little bit more with him [since he joined LIV]. I didn't know him that much before. And yeah, he's been great. I mean, he's a great competitor. And he's someone that you want see on the golf course. He's intense in competition and he wants to win tournaments. For me, he gives all the players a lot of motivation."
GM: Jon has been pretty clear in his reasons for joining LIV and he's also stated he doesn't want to relinquish his PGA Tour and DP World Tour memberships. He's said he wants to still play certain events as well as LIV, where do you stand on this? Are you quite happy playing on LIV or are there some events you'd like to play again?
JN:
"Yeah definitely. I miss a lot of tournaments on the PGA. There were some great tournaments that I've always loved. I watched the Honda. I know the Arnold Palmer Invitational is great. The Players is great. Riviera, I miss a lot, but yeah, I took my decision to leave and I'm really, really happy right now. If you asked me, what is my perfect world? I would love to be playing LIV Golf and then play four or five tournaments that were my favourites and then the majors."
GM: On the topic of majors, when are you going get a chance to practise at Augusta National?
JN:
"Yeah, I'm gonna try to go one of these couple of weeks coming up."
GM: How do you even begin to prepare for a tournament like the Masters and handle the nerves?
JN:
"I remember when I played my amateur debut at the Masters and I was really nervous. And now that I look back every time I go again and remember that moment. It's been a little bit easier since then."
GM: What is your favourite hole at Augusta National?
JN:
"Number 10 is cool."
GM: Obviously we got a chance to see Anthony Kim in Jeddah, what did you make of his performance? Have you had a chance to speak to him yet?
JN:
"Yeah, it was the first time I met him on Friday or Saturday on the putting green. I've only watched him play on video and I don't remember much about him. I was pretty young, I mean, it was years ago [when he played] so I was 10 years old. I don't really have memories of him playing golf tournaments. It's pretty good to see him and you can feel how special and how talented he was. Let's see if he can perform."
GM: When did you guys find out that Kim was signing?
JN:
"I've learned that normally all the rumours are true. They've been trying to get him for a couple of years so as soon as I heard that rumours, I was pretty confident that he was going to come."
GM: I understand your caddie Gary has looped for Anthony in the past?
JN:
"Yeah, he said he was pretty awesome to watch."
GM: On the subject of your caddie, one thing that has been talked about a lot with LIV broadcasts is the players being mic'd up and hearing some cool interactions and listening to you guys discuss each shot.
JN:
"They've been mic'ing us for almost all of the rounds. It's cool because there is a lot of stuff that [you wouldn't see] during tournament rounds [like] the way we talk, the way we communicate especially in those moments under pressure. It's been really interesting."
GM: How important is Gary for you?
JN:
"Once we get to the ball he knows what I'm looking for and he sees the same shot. He really knows what I'm thinking so I don't have to say much and he gives me the numbers. He always makes me understand what is the best option."
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