Joaquin Niemann Soars in World Rankings After Saudi International Playoff Victory
Joaquin Niemann secured a significant victory at the 2024 PIF Saudi International, winning a playoff against LIV Golf colleagues Cameron Smith and Caleb Surrat. The triumph marks a crucial moment for the Chilean star's world ranking position.
While not a LIV event, the Saudi International is an Asian Tour tournament sponsored by Saudi PIF, offering valuable world ranking points through its International Series. This is particularly significant as LIV Golf events don't award ranking points, causing many players' rankings to decline.
Niemann's ranking journey has been volatile:
- Peaked at 15th in 2022
- Dropped to 87th by December 2023
- Fell further to 138th recently
- Climbed to 124th before this tournament
- Expected to reach top 75 after this victory
The win earned Niemann $1 million and the International Series season title. This victory holds special meaning after recently losing the LIV Golf season-long chase and $18 million bonus to Jon Rahm at LIV Chicago.
"The place where I finished in second on LIV, I really wanted to win. I feel like I worked really hard for it," Niemann reflected post-victory. He also noted the satisfaction of winning the International Series ranking, providing "a better taste" than his LIV runner-up finish.
The victory comes at an opportune time for Niemann, who is set to marry on December 21st, adding extra celebration to his upcoming holiday season with family.
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