Report: Joaquin Niemann's caddie "berated" golf journalist over coverage of U.S. Open penalty

Joaquin Niemann's caddie reportedly got into a heated confrontation with the journalist who was the first to publish details of the Chilean's two-shot penalty during the first round of the U.S. Open. 

Niemann, 27, became the first golfer to be penalised for breaking the new code of conduct introduced for major championships in 2026. 

The LIV Golf star lobbed his gap wedge in frustration some 50 yards on the sixth hole at Shinnecock Hills and was later punished for "serious misconduct" under Rule 1.2b. 

Niemann made a nine on the hole but his score was later changed to an 11. 

To his credit, after battling back superbly to make the cut, he spoke to reporters to explain his version of events, accepting that he ultimately deserved to be punished and he was "not proud" of his behaviour. 

But while Niemann was taking part in a post-round news conference, an entirely different scene was unfolding on the driving range. 

According to The Fried Egg's Joseph LaMagna, members of Niemann's team expressed anger towards The Athletic's Gabby Herzig, who is on-site at Shinnecock Hills and managed to track down a volunteer who witnessed the golfer's outburst. 

Tristan Chang was happy to be named in her report and even described Niemann's club toss as "a pretty impressive throw". 

LaMagna reports that when Herzig tracked down Niemann's team for comment, his caddie Diego Salinas called her a "clown" and accused her of being irresponsible to report details based on something she had not witnessed.

Salinas allegedly told Hertiz that his version of events was "not worth my time". 

LaMagna wrote:

While Niemann was inside the interview room acknowledging his mistake, a different scene was unfolding on the driving range. Members of his team expressed anger at Gabby Herzig of The Athletic about her reporting on the incident. Earlier Friday, after the penalty had been announced, Herzig tracked down a volunteer who witnessed Niemann's club throw and obtained additional details about what transpired.

When she later approached Niemann's team for comment, his caddie, Diego Salinas, berated her, pulled up her report on his phone, called her a "clown," and argued that it was irresponsible to report the details of an incident she had not personally witnessed. Herzig responded that the report was based on an eyewitness account from a volunteer who identified himself by name, but said she was interested in hearing Salinas's version of the events. Salinas responded that providing his side was not worth his time.

Herzig also repeatedly asked which aspects of the reporting were inaccurate. Not once did anyone from Niemann's camp refute any of the details within the report.

Niemann's penalty has stirred debate in the golf world. 

His coach, Peter Cowen, was upset that Niemann appeared to be singled out when many other players in the 156-man field were guilty of the same offence.

"It depends on whether you like him or you don't like him; it's two shots if you don't like him, or it's not two shots because he's a decent guy or he hasn't thrown it as far or whatever," Cowen said. 

"It's either got to be two shots for throwing a club for everybody or not."

Video footage later surfaced of Jon Rahm kicking his driver multiple times down the fairway after hitting an errant drive. 

Hot mics also picked up the Spaniard dropping a loud F-bomb after missing a putt. 

Both actions are deemed unacceptable but Rahm, who missed the cut, escaped penalty. 

Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley told Golf Channel's 'Live From' show that he supported the penalty. 

Players have been given too much power, he argued, and it was time to set a precedent.