LIV Golf star reignites feud with world rankings after being handed Masters invite

Joaquin Niemann is one of a number of LIV Golf stars to have fallen down the world rankings over the past two seasons, but this has not stopped the Chilean from earning a Masters spot

Joaquin Niemann has admitted he is still ‘frustrated’ with LIV Golf’s wait for Official World Golf Ranking points (OWGR) despite banking a spot at this April’s Masters.

Niemann joined the LIV Golf circuit as a top-20 player in the world rankings, but now finds himself 81st in the list due to the breakaway league’s lack of OWGR points. He is one of a number of LIV stars who have tumbled down the rankings over the past two years, in a frustrating period for the Chilean.

In order to gain some much-needed ranking points and a spot at this season’s majors, Niemann has ventured elsewhere in recent months, playing across the PGA Tour of Australasia, DP World Tour and Asian Tour.

And despite some impressive form – including a victory at December’s Australian Open – he has been unable to break into the world top-50, with the Masters right around the corner. Niemann has to worry no more though about earning a place at the opening major of the year, after his recent run earned him a special invite by the bosses of Augusta National.

The 25-year-old followed up his win in Australia with a tied-fourth finish at last month’s Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, before winning the maiden LIV event of 2024 in Mexico, which included an opening round 59. His form was rewarded with his Masters invite earlier this week, but this appears to only be a short-term fix for Niemann.

“It’s useful to get world ranking but it sucks that I’m too far away to get into all the majors,” Niemann told Bunkered while in action in Oman for the Asian Tour’s International Series. “It’s frustrating. It got a little bit tastier getting that invite from the Masters because one of my goals was trying to get into the first major because the US Open you can get in.

“You can qualify. That still sucks to do that though but I do have a chance to get in.” Alongside his Masters spot, the LIV Mayakoba champion has also earned a place at this year’s Open Championship at Royal Troon, thanks to his victory down under at the end of 2023.