Joaquin Niemann addresses two-shot penalty at U.S. Open: "I'm not proud of it"

Joaquin Niemann says he felt like he was "extra penalised" after he was given a two-shot penalty for serious misconduct at the U.S. Open. 

Niemann carded an eight-over 78 at Shinnecock Hills on Thursday and threw a hissy fit on the sixth hole of the Long Island layout. 

The Chilean, 27, hit two tee shots out of bounds and eventually tapped in for a septuple-bogey nine. 

But the LIV Golf recruit's score was later changed to an 11 after the USGA tournament committee deemed the golfer guilty of serious misconduct after he tossed his pitching wedge some 50 yards in frustration. 

"I got pretty frustrated," he told reporters after bouncing back with a stunning five-under 65 to sit on the projected cut line at three-over. 

"I'm not someone that like to be in that behaviour. I'm the first one to judge myself when I don't behave on the golf course.

"That was a misbehave from my part. I felt like a little bit extra penalised with two-shot penalty, but I think it is what it is. 

"I think I'm going to learn from it. It definitely kind of helped me a little bit to have a better round today."

Niemann's outburst of anger occurred just after 8:30pm. He was still on the course because the first round was delayed more than two hours due to fog. 

"I felt like my body wasn't quite there," he said, adding that the poor tee shots "came out of nowhere". 

Niemann also attempted to get relief from fire ants before hitting his sixth shot but was denied by a referee.

"I saw a lot of ants there, and I was just asking the referee if they were fire ants, and like, he say, 'no'. 

"To be honest, I wasn't angry asking him. I was pretty normal, pretty chill, because I knew I needed to keep going and try to shoot the less possible.

"After that shot, I hit it, I lay up, and the whole frustration went inside me. I think they blew the horn already. 

"I'm not sure if they did or not, but after I hit that shot all the frustration that came inside me and had my club in my hand, and I couldn't resist to throw it away.

"Yeah, I mean, I was looking around. There was no people, obviously. No one there. 

"I'm not proud of it, but yeah, I mean, sometimes, you know, all the expectation of trying to play well and things doesn't go your way, you get frustrated, and that was me there."

Niemann said he was unaware about a new code of conduct that is being enforced by the major governing bodies in 2026.

Players given a warning, then handed a two-shot penalty and ultimately disqualified for a third breach. 

He was told about the penalty after he finished his round. 

"I finished my [first] round this morning," he said. "I had three holes left. 

"Signed my scorecard, and then a referee came up to me and said: 'I need to talk to you'. 

"I was, like, sure. I knew I had a misbehaviour, but I feel like everybody had some, and it's never going to anything major like two-shot penalty, you know?"

He added: "So, yeah, I mean, he start talking to me. 

"They consider with the whole committee that it was a right decision to give me a two-shot penalty, which I kind of, like, a little bit ... obviously I was trying to argue back and try to don't get those two-shot penalty.

"But, yeah, I mean, it's their decision, and I feel like, yeah, I wouldn't be happy seeing players throwing clubs and behaving that way so yeah, I mean, I agree."

Niemann said it took him around 30 minutes to get over it. 

He sits on three-over after 36 holes, on the projected cut line. His 65 included seven birdies and only two bogeys.