PLAYER PROFILE · LIV GOLF
Joaquín Niemann is the finest golfer South America has produced – a trailblazing Chilean, a prolific LIV Golf winner, and one of the most naturally gifted ball-strikers of his generation, still chasing the major championship his talent has long promised.
| Full name | Joaquín Niemann Zenteno |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 November 1998, Santiago, Chile |
| Nationality | Chilean |
| Turned pro | 2018 |
| Primary tour | LIV Golf (Torque GC, captain) |
| Height | 6′ 0″ (1.83 m) |
| Major championships | 0 |
| PGA Tour wins | 2 |
| LIV Golf wins | 8 |
Early Life & the Amateur Phenom
Niemann grew up in Santiago and became a sensation in the amateur game, holding the World No. 1 amateur ranking for 44 weeks and winning the McCormack Medal as its leading player. He turned professional in 2018 amid enormous expectation, and did not take long to justify it: in 2019 he won the Greenbrier event to become the first Chilean winner in PGA Tour history, and the youngest international winner on the tour in nearly a century.
PGA Tour Success & LIV
Niemann added a second, bigger PGA Tour title at the 2022 Genesis Invitational, a marquee event hosted by Tiger Woods, confirming his standing among the game’s elite young players. Later that year he joined the LIV Golf League, where he has become one of the most successful competitors on the circuit – captaining the Torque GC franchise and racking up eight individual victories, including a stretch of dominant form that reasserted his class. His 59 at LIV Mayakoba in 2024 was, by advanced metrics, among the very best rounds golf has seen.
The Major Pursuit
The one thing missing is the major, and Niemann has been open about how much it drives him – to the point of playing a punishing global schedule and seeking out qualifying routes to ensure his place in the biggest events. His talent has never been in question; the challenge, as for so many, is assembling four days of it on the sport’s grandest and most unforgiving stages. Few would bet against him getting there.
Playing Style
Niemann is an explosive, aggressive player with one of the fastest swings in the game and prodigious length off the tee. His ball-striking, at its best, is breathtaking – the kind of shot-making that produces low rounds in bunches – and he attacks courses with a fearlessness that reflects his youth and confidence. As the standard-bearer for an entire continent, he carries his status lightly, but the ambition beneath it is unmistakable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Joaquín Niemann won a major championship?
Joaquín Niemann has not yet won a major, though he has recorded top-ten finishes at the game’s biggest events and is widely regarded as one of the most talented players yet to break through at a major.
Where is Joaquín Niemann from?
Niemann was born on 7 November 1998 in Santiago, Chile. He turned professional in 2018 and became the first player from Chile to win on the PGA Tour, and the youngest international PGA Tour winner since 1923.
Which tour does Joaquín Niemann play on?
Niemann plays on the LIV Golf League, where he captains the Torque GC team and has won eight individual titles – among the most successful players on the circuit. He continues to compete in the major championships.
What are Joaquín Niemann’s biggest achievements?
Niemann won on the PGA Tour at the 2019 Greenbrier and the 2022 Genesis Invitational, spent 44 weeks as the world’s top-ranked amateur, and in 2024 shot a 59 at LIV Golf Mayakoba – one of the finest rounds, by strokes-gained measures, recorded in the modern era.
Why is Joaquín Niemann important for Chilean and South American golf?
As the first Chilean to win on the PGA Tour and a global star, Niemann is a trailblazer for South American golf, inspiring a new generation in a region with little previous golfing tradition at the elite level.