Joaquin Niemann has bagged some vital points in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) after clinching victory at the PIF Saudi International on the Asian Tour this Saturday.
The Torque GC captain found himself in a thrilling three-way playoff with fellow LIV golfers Cam Smith and Caleb Surratt, eventually triumphing after two additional holes.
Not only did Niemann leave Riyadh as the event's champion, but he also secured the season-long winner of the Series' Order of Merit due to the extra points at the year's final tournament. This win is set to boost the Chilean's position in the world ranking list when it's updated on Monday.
He is now projected to break into the top 75 of the OWGR list, with Niemann expected to be ranked 74th at the start of next week. Despite his form throughout 2024, Niemann's position in the world rankings hasn't reflected his performance, as most of his campaign was played on the LIV circuit, where no OWGR points are available.
Outside of the breakaway league, Niemann has participated in 10 OWGR-sanctioned events over the past year. He ended his year on a high note after lining up a string of impressive performances that began with last December's win at the Australian Open and continued with a top-five finish at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January.
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Mirror US reports the talented golfer, who has yet to make his mark in major championships, turned heads on the Asian Tour and DP World Tour, celebrating a much-awaited victory on Saturday. Joaquin Niemann's impressive early season form scored him special invites to prestigious tournaments like the Masters and PGA Championship.
But the golfer expresses keenness to qualify for big-ticket events on merit rather than through invitations. Following Niemann's recent win in Saudi Arabia which topped off an eventful year where he finished second in LIV Golf's individual standings, he shared his thoughts: "The place where I finished in second on LIV, I really wanted to win," said Niemann.
"I feel like I worked really hard for it. I was going to say I feel like I deserve it, but you don't really deserve anything here in sports. I know that I feel like it gives me that extra motivation to come and play here for this last event of the year and make something happen."
The golfer also expressed contentment with his position in the International Series ranking: "It's great to have a win with the International Series ranking as well. Yeah, it gives me a better taste at the end of the year that beats second on LIV. So I'm really happy with the way it finished and looking forward to the time off."
