Joaquin Niemann may have dominated the LIV Golf League this season with five wins to his name, but he’s still not yet locked up the Individual Championship with two remaining events on the schedule.
Niemann, 26, heads into this week’s 12th of 13 regular season events on LIV Golf with 206.80 points on the board.
The red-hot Chilean reached that mark two weeks ago when chalking up a record seventh win on the breakaway league at LIV Golf UK.
He should see things out and win a deserved first Individual Championship, but it’s not a certainty as he heads into LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook Golf Club this week.
That’s because despite winning zero times this season, the league’s most expensive signing Jon Rahm still has a chance to pip Niemann to the post and defend season honours.
Rahm, who is also defending the title at LIV Golf Chicago this week, lies second place in the season standings with 169.16 points.
With 40 points on offer for individual victories on LIV Golf, it means there is still a chance Rahm could surge late and deny Niemann.
On current form, it’s unlikely Niemann will finish outside the points in his next two events, but there is still that possibility.
Rahm said during his pre-tournament press conference today that’s it’s “essential” he defends in Chicago to pile the pressure on the leader.
Jon Rahm
While that would certainly spice things up for LIV Golf fans heading into next week’s regular season finale in Indianapolis, it’s somewhat of a shock to Niemann that the door hasn’t already been shut.
“You’ve won five times this year and he [Rahm] hasn’t won at all, are you surprised that you even have to hold him off,” a reporter put to Niemann during his press conference today.
“Yeah, I mean, a little bit, yes,” he replied.
Niemann then conceded Rahm’s consistency has kept in the hunt despite not winning this season.
“Obviously Jon has been playing — he’s probably the most consistent player in the world,” continued Niemann.
“He’s been in the top 10, I think, every week that he’s been playing on LIV [Rahm finished T11 in Dallas].
“Obviously he has the consistency. Every week that he plays he has a chance to win on Sunday, which is really impressive.”
Niemann then concluded the distribution of points for a victory on LIV Golf should probably be amended moving forwards.
“I feel like it’s just the way the point system is right now,” added the Torque GC captain.
“I feel like they probably should have more points into winning. That would be awesome in my way.
“But it could be the other way next year, which I’m probably not going to win, I don’t know, and I can still have a chance to win on the last two tournaments, I will take that.
“It all depends. In the situation that I am right now, obviously I would love to see more points for winning, but it’s just the way it’s set up.”
Niemann has won five times in 2025
LIV Golf Chicago marks the penultimate event of the regular LIV Golf League season.
The final regular season event then takes place next week at LIV Golf Indianpolis.
LIV Golf’s season-ending Team Championship then tees off in Michigan the following week to bring the curtain down on the circuit’s fourth season.
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