Despite five victories this season, Niemann admits surprise that Jon Rahm is still a major threat thanks to his consistency. Hear Joaco’s honest take on the LIV points system and the battle at the top.
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All right, let’s welcome Neiman, captain of KGC. All good. Hakeim, you arrive here in Chicago leading the individual standings and coming off your fifth win of the season at Live Golf UK. How are you planning to carry on that momentum heading into this week? Uh, I mean, I don’t know if it’s momentum or not. I feel like I just gota keep doing what I’ve been doing. I feel like it’s just it’s a golf game. Obviously, it’s tough. Uh there’s a lot of room for for error. And yeah, I mean, I think everything I can just focus on is just commit to my shots. Uh go through them uh with my caddy, give my 100% on the practice rounds, and you know, just get ready, get on the right mindset into into the tournament. I know it’s going to it’s going to be tough. Obviously, Johnny’s been playing amazing golf and I know how good of a player he is. So, yeah, I mean, I was in a similar situation last year and I felt like, you know, I don’t I don’t want to finish it the same way. So, yeah, I mean, I’m I’m trying my best to to be the other way, but at the end of the day, I can can’t force things to happen the way I want to. So, I just got to go and play golf, which I love to. You finished runner up here last year at Bowling Brook. How much confidence does that give you um heading into this week? Especially considering the form you are in right now. Yeah, I played great golf last year. I remember the course was a lot of fun to play. Uh I was playing really firm. Uh it was windy. So yeah, I mean the condition were were unbelievable and I feel like it’s going to be similar this year. I don’t know about the the conditions. Maybe on Sunday may it might be a little bit different having an early tea time. So, so yeah, I mean I I guess I guess the weather is going to help to to make the course get firmer, get more narrow, and uh you know, it’s yeah, it’s going to be a tough tough course, which I think is uh everybody likes that. Everybody likes that challenge, and yeah, I’m looking forward to that. Let’s kick it over to Mike. No. So, Marco, what uh what lessons, if any, did you learn last year that you might be able to apply this year in terms of the battle with John and and how that all unfolded uh especially late in the season? Anything particular? No, I mean I if I look back into last year, I mean, the way it finished, I I was pretty happy with my performance. performance. Uh I get everything that I have and I felt like that was that was the best I could do, you know, and and it wasn’t enough. Uh so yeah, I mean I think it doesn’t change much, you know. I felt like obviously it’s going to be a tough battle. Uh but all I can do is just just worry about what I can do, you know, and and that is and that is only, you know, get my best on on my every shot that I have. have the right mindset, have a, you know, don’t give up for the for the whole this week and next week. So, so yeah, I mean, I’m pretty clear what I have to do. I have no idea if I’m going to play good or bad. I don’t know, but I just going to do the right thing and I know what I have to do. So, yeah, I’m just going to focus on that. You’ve won five times this year. He hasn’t won at all. Are you surprised that you even have to hold him off? Yeah, I mean, a little bit. Yes, obviously uh obviously Johnny’s been playing I mean how he’s probably the most consistent player in the world uh in the world. Uh like I mean he’s he’s been on the top 10 I think every every week that he’s been playing on leave. So So yeah, I mean obviously he has the consistency. He’s he’s every week that he plays, he has a chance to win on Sunday, which is really impressive. Uh but yeah, I mean, I felt like it’s just the way the point system is right now, you know. I feel like this they probably should have more more points into winning. That would be awesome in in my way, you know, but it could be the other way next year where which I I I can I probably not going to win maybe. I don’t know. and uh I can still have a chance to win on the last two tournaments. I’ll take that. So, so yeah, I mean it it all depends on the situation that I am right now. Obviously, I would love to see more points for winning, but you know, it’s just the way it’s set up. And and speaking of his consistency, is that something that you will strive to do as you move forward in your career? You’re still only 26, really young. Is that is that kind of a goal going forward for you? Yeah, 100%. And I feel like golf is a game of I mean you got to the hardest thing about this game is being consistent. I felt like everybody could go and win. Uh but to be consistently there having a chance on Sunday of winning is is something really impressive and it shows of how strong is you know your game has to be on every aspect of you know when whenever your driving is off you got your short game there to back you up. Uh same way if your irons are not the best, you got you got the you got to have the whole the whole piece together, the whole your your whole game. You got to be in shape. So So yeah, I mean it’s it’s tough to be consistent and it’s something that I always working on it and I feel like I’ve been getting more and more consistent every time. If I look back to last year was probably more consistent than my my year now. Uh but I won more times this year. So yeah, I mean it’s it’s hard to decide which one it is uh better or not, but it’s obviously definitely harder to be consistent all year round. And last question for me, you you’ve won on four continents this year. Uh one of them was one of our new markets. We end the season with two more new markets. as you as live golf goes to these new markets, what is your objective goal? Not not just obviously to win, but to to kind of bring the live narrative to to these new fans. Yeah, it is pretty special. I mean, I feel like being now on leave and traveling all over the world and representing obviously my flag Chile and and the team to special. I I can, you know, I can Yeah, I can go out and and and do what I love for a living and play in front of different crowds from different cultures, different countries. So, yeah, it would be awesome to win on every continent. I feel like I’m pretty close to it. So, yeah, it’s it’s a goal that I would definitely would love to achieve. Thanks, Sophia. Wen over here. You said earlier you love the game. Why? Why I love it? Uh I just everything. Uh whenever I’m I’m playing bad, I feel like I’m I’m I figured out something that it makes me enjoy that in a way. Uh cuz I know when I I’m not my best or I have a tough week, I know there’s something there to learn. And I feel like it just builds a lot of it builds a character out of you playing this game. I felt like it gives you a lot of a lot of values that is going to help you out in whatever situation you got to you got in front of your life any you know at the end of the game I mean on on this game you’re going to you’re going to feel you’re going to feel uncomfortable probably 90 90% of the time and and to trust yourself and you know to have that commitment of of knowing that what you’re doing is right and and commit to that in a situation that is really uncomfortable. It I feel like it really talks good about yourself and in a way it’s a lot of you know self love. So I feel like it’s something that you know I got to keep working on it. I feel like sometimes I get on my own way as well. So something that I’m working on it and yeah I mean also when you’re playing your best game your best your best golf is also a lot of fun. You know you’re able to to hit the shots that you’re seeing. And I I really love playing with the trajectories and being able to see it in my head first and then go in there and and deliver the shot. And whenever it’s really close to whenever is the same shot that I hit that I see it before, I don’t think there is anything more satisfying that than that feeling. What do you like about this golf course? Is that I mean it’s trying to hit those shots. I mean it it demands a lot from you of the tea and Yeah. Yeah, I mean it’s that I feel like I’m able to there’s some tough t-shirts there. Uh some uncomfortable t-shirts that if you hit the right shot, you’re going to be gaining gaining positions. So, so yeah, I mean I got to really commit to to what I’m seeing. Uh I got to really free up and then, you know, just swing the ball the way I wanted and and trust that that’s going to go where I want it to go. So, I feel like that’s the that’s the goal of that’s my goal right now uh this couple weeks. try to see the shot that I’m trying to hit and, you know, commit to to do that. And I feel like that’s that’s another fun part of the game. Obviously, next week going to Indianapolis. Your thoughts on a new city and going to Indie? Yeah, I’m excited. I never been to Indianapolis and uh yeah, I mean, I’m excited. I’m looking forward will be a new week, new crowds. So, so yeah, I can’t wait to see that energy there. You said it’s nothing more satisfying than when you see a shot and then you actually make that shot. How often does it happen for you? Not too often. So I think that’s why it’s really satisfying. I mean it I guess I mean obviously you can get picky and I feel like that’s the goal. I feel like I can go out there on the course and say all right I’m going to I’m going to hit a draw to the green. You can hit a draw and hit on the green. And it’s like, yeah, that’s the shot I’m trying to do. But I felt like I I tried to get really intense on what I really want to see and and be more precise on what I want to see. And yeah, I mean, I want to see it starting at that tree or that, you know, that cloud that I see there going up in the air, that window that I’m seeing going down where I wanted to see it coming down. And, you know, judge the wind that is going to affect the same amount of, you know, curve that is I’m seeing on my head. you know, there’s so many factors and then landed on the same spot that I wanted it and yeah, I mean, it’s I feel like you’re never going to hit that shot, but almost almost trying to chase in that shot. Uh, you you’ve played like one of the best golfers on the planet this year. For a long time, there was a ranking system that would tell you where you ranked, but right now we don’t quite have that. Is there a different ranking or a different statistic or a different method that you’ve used to kind of tell yourself where you are in the greater scheme of world golf? No, not really. I mean, I don’t it’s not something that I that I think about it like to tell myself in the mirror, hey, that you’re number five. No, I mean I I don’t I don’t do that. And I I mean, that’s not my my job. I felt like I’m just here to to do my best and and try to make as many berries as possible and and you know and and to make the the crowd enjoy watching us playing golf around the world. And yeah, I mean I felt like the ranking system is is not up to me. Uh it’s up to them. So yeah, I’m expecting that they’re going to do the right thing for golf. And then are you planning to go to Australia again this year? Yeah, there’s a few tournaments that I have I I would love to play. Uh we’ll see what’s going to happen with everything else. But yeah, I mean I love to go back to Australia. Uh one of my favorite golf courses that I played. Uh so so yeah, it’s going to and also I think the Australian golf has the best probably the best courses in the world. And I felt like more than just the tournament. It’s just, you know, I I really enjoy going there and playing golf there in Australia in front of those people. It’s it’s a lot of fun. Waco on live you’re you know sometimes sharing a house with your teammates and your friends. Do you think that closeness and the ability to to be with you know friends is part of the reason why you’ve been so successful specifically on live? Yeah, I think I can I can say yes. I mean I feel like it’s it’s good fun to be around around you know people that you like. Uh, Mito, Sebastian, and Carlos, they are the four of us were pretty good friends. And to be able to stay in houses together, uh, sometimes it takes tension out of you. I feel like there’s a lot of situations there. You know, I feel the the pressure of the golf tournament of having a chance to win and whenever you go back to your room by yourself, you just start going and going and, you know, doing games with yourself and it’s not fun. So, so yeah, to be able to spend time with them and, you know, kind of like refresh your mind and and not think about what’s going on, it kind of helped me out to, you know, to flow better for for the week. Thanks. Yeah, go for it, Mike. Just curious, Wo, when you started the season, do you do you set goals for yourself? Did you put down a number of like I want to win these many events, that type of thing? And five seems like a pretty high number. Pete, you’re almost winning at a 50% clip out here and live. No, I I mean I do put goals in myself. I write them down and it’s more about not about results. It’s more about the way I want to the way I behaving on for example on the golf course. If I have in the right mindset, if I if I give my 100% on that week, like if I go back to last year, I felt like I didn’t lose the tournament the the season on on the last on the last event. I felt like I lost it. Uh if I go back to Houston, I didn’t play my best. I have a chance on Sunday to win. And I didn’t have the right mindset. I I wasn’t on the right place. I was a little bit more angry, you know, my attitude wasn’t the best and I felt like that kind of affected my result. So felt like if I’m if I judge myself, I I would judge the way I behaved there and the way I prepare for for that Sunday. So, so yeah, I mean I felt like my goals are to to just give the absolute best that I that I can into into preparing myself and and having the right mindset into into the golf tournaments. And I know if I do that, it just get things work. So that’s that’s all my focus on. And do you get the sense that everybody else is kind of tired of you winning all all your competitors? Have they said anything to you? I don’t mind. I I would love to keep doing it. All right. All right. Thanks. Any more questions? All right, thank you very much for your time playing. Thank you, guys. We got one more action. Oh, sorry. Sorry. Sorry. So, you recently changed your coach and caddy. Was there anything specific that you were looking for with that change? Uh, I don’t know. Those are tough questions. Um, I don’t know. I mean, I just felt like I I don’t know 100% if I really want to talk about it, if it’s fine. Thank you. All right, Hakeim, thank you very much. Thank you.
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