LIV Golf star punished for ‘serious misconduct’ at US Open before recording horror score

Joaquin Niemann is chasing a first major title, but found hmself making unwanted history at the U.S. Open.

A horror sixth hole in the opening round of the US Open left the LIV Golf star assessed two penalty strokes for throwing a club on the sixth hole during round one.

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The USGA stating the act “was determined to be serious misconduct under Rule1.2b” and saw the Toque GC captain become the first golfer to receive a penalty for breaking the new code of conduct policy.

Rule 1.2b states: “The Committee may set its own standards of player conduct in a Code of Conduct adopted as a Local Rule.

“The Code may include penalties for breach of its standards, such as a one-stroke penalty or the general penalty.

“The Committee may also disqualify a player for serious misconduct in failing to meet the Code’s standards.”

To add insult to injury the official communication for the penalty spelt his name wrong.

The brand new code of conduct policy – new for the 2026 majors – has been a hot topic in 2026, with Robert MacIntyre and Sergio Garcia receiving warnings at The Masters.

How Niemann’s horror hole unfolded

Level par for the tournament as he stood on the sixth tee, Niemann proceeded to drive two balls out of bounds to the right hand side.

On the USGA’s official U.S. Open leaderboard, the play-by-play of his hole shows that he received the two penalty shots after he hit his sixth shot from the native area.

He hit that one just 112 yards and still had 131 yards to the pin.

Clearly frustrated with his play he ended up launching the offending club in disgust, an action that led to the punishment.

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The quintuple-bogey on the sixth meant he ended up carding an eight-over 78 in his first round.

Despite two birdies in his second round at Shinnehock Hills thus far, he faces an uphill battle to make the cut in Long Island.

The Athletic’s Gabby Herzig spoke to a volunteer, Tristan Chang, who witnessed Niemann’s throw.

“After hitting two balls OB, Niemann tried to get free relief from fire ants (to no avail) from where his third drive ended up in the fescue,” Herzig tweeted.

“Got visibly angry and kicked the white flag that another volunteer used to mark his ball, and continued to kick around the sand.

“Proceeded to chuck his iron from the fescue area approximately 50 yards to the very edge of the course on the right.

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“Almost did not walk back for the club until a police officer delivered it to him.”

Niemann is LIV star but chases elusive Major

Niemann competed in the 2018 Masters tournament as an amateur and then turned proffesional, earning a PGA Tour card for the 2018-19 season.

Considered an up and rising star, the 27-year-old became the youngest PGA Tour winner from Chile, with a win at The Greenbrier.

In 2022, he won the Genesis Invitational hosted by Tiger Woods, finishing the tournament 19-under par, two strokes ahead of Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa.

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In August 2022, it was announced that he had joined LIV golf, and subsequently named the captain of the Torque GC team.

Niemann has the most individual LIV Golf wins with eight, and was named the 2025 MVP by his peers.

Niemann was in the field thanks to a new exemption rule that allows the top LIV player to join if they haven’t already qualified.

He is playing in his seventh US Open this week, with his best finish of T23 coming back in 2020 at Winged Foot.

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