ATLANTA – The subject of persistent speculation, Joaquin Niemann said Friday at the Tour Championship that he currently remains undecided about whether he will remain with the PGA Tour or join LIV Golf.
“I haven’t made my decision yet,” Niemann told GolfChannel.com. “Obviously, there’s some things I’ve got to see first, but I’m not thinking about that right now. I want to finish the playoffs and then see what my decision will be.”
Niemann has been linked to LIV Golf for months and would be considered a significant asset to the rival league given his age (23), world ranking (18th) and popularity in South America. One of the Chilean’s mentors, Sergio Garcia, has already joined the circuit.
Full-field scores from the Tour Championship
As one of the rising stars in the game, Niemann attended the players-only meeting last week at the BMW Championship, where the group, led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, helped map out a path forward for the PGA Tour. Earlier this week, the Tour announced a reimagined schedule that will see the top players competing against each other more often, with average purses around $20 million.
There have been reports that LIV will announce as many as seven new player signings following the conclusion of the FedExCup Playoffs on Sunday. The fourth LIV event is scheduled for next week outside Boston.
Niemann, a winner earlier this year at Riviera, has played well through two rounds at the Tour Championship, where he began the week eight shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler.
Niemann matched the low round of the day Thursday with a 6-under 64, and then he drained a 22-foot eagle putt on the final hole Friday to sign for a 67. He remains eight shots back of Scheffler but has climbed into sixth place , which would pay out $2.5 million in bonus money.
“I’ve just got to play my game on the weekend,” Niemann said. “It would be nicer to get closer to the leaders, but I don’t want to worry about the score or who’s leading. I want to go out and play and see how well I can hit it.”
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