Men's Golf: Joaquin Niemann #1 in the WORLD

[Mama_Bull]

 

July 12, 2017

 

Niemann will play in the monday qualifier of the Barbasol Championship and looks for new invitations on the PGA Tour

 

After finishing in a historic 29th place at the Greenbrier Classic , Chilean amateurJoaquín Niemann plans to extend his calendar of participation in PGA tour tournaments, either via the monday qualifier or through invitations.

The current world number one amateur ranking will be a few days in Chile before embarking on a flight to Alabama to participate in the monday qualifier of theBarbasol Championship , a PGA Tour event that will be played simultaneously with theOpen Championship between 20 and 23 July. Subsequently, the objective is to get an invitation in another PGA tournament. 

"We are seeking new invitations, it may be one in Canada, but he is sure to participate in the Western Amateur (July 31-August 5) and the US Amateur (August 14-20)," said coach Eduardo Miquel In dialogue with Diario El Mercurio .

The PGA Tour tournament referred to by the Niemann coach is the RBC Canadian Open , scheduled July 27-30 at the Gleb Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario.

In short, July will be a month of professional events for the Chilean, who in August will focus on amateur contests in their fight to win the Mark H. McCormack Medal and qualify for the US Open and The Open 2018 . So, the question grows: What do you plan to do with your future the number one WAGR?

"The expectation is to finish college, but you never know what can happen," said Niemann after finalizing his great performance at the Greenbrier Classic . "I will miss my family, but I am also very happy to begin a new stage in my life," added the 18-year-old golfer who plans to begin his studies as a fellow at the University of South Florida in January 2018.

 

Source : Golf Channel Latinoamérica - puro.golf - Photo: PGA Tour

 

Today, The World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) updated its weekly standings.

Niemann is currently 30 points ahead of McNealy.

http://www.wagr.com/en/Mens-Ranking.aspx

This is the 28th calendar week.

McNealy is playing at the John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour.

Niemann is not playing in any events this week.

So, McNealy will close the gap between them in the WAGR released next Wednesday. How much depends on how well he does in that tourney. For example, Niemann received 13.78 points by finishing 29th at the GreenBrier classic. The other two amateurs who did not  make the cut received 5.5 and 3.5 points.

http://www.wagr.com/en/Men Events/Event detail.aspx?event=40728&ismens=True

The person  ranked #1 WAGR at the end of the week 34, immediately after the US Amateur, will win the McCormack Medal.

The WAGR covers a two year period.

So, on week 29 in 2015 both Niemann and McNealy played in events and will soon lose those points. 

McNealy will also lose the points he gained on weeks 31 and 33 in 2015.

They will both lose points gained in 2015 on week 34, after the 2017 US Amateur is played that same week.

See their tournament results:

http://www.wagr.com/en/Ranking/Player.aspx?playerid=12017&ismens=True

http://www.wagr.com/en/Ranking/Player.aspx?playerid=11633&ismens=True

The bottom line is that McNealy is starting out 30 points behind and will LOSE more points between now and the 2017 US Amateur.  Not only is he playing on the PGA tour this week, but will also be playing in theOPEN Championship the following week and will, therefore, narrow the margin again.

It is important for Niemann to play in more tournaments in order to stay out in front of him which is why he chose not to enroll at USF for summer classes.

I'm surprised that he decided to enter the Monday qualifier for the Barbasol. His chances for gaining entry there that way is a longshot.

He probably would have been better off playing in the prestigious Pacific Coast Amateur Championship that same week where he would likely earn significant points. 

http://www.pacificcoastamateur.com/ 

Perhaps, he still may have that as an option if he doesn't qualify at the Barbasol. There was a previous tweet by them that he would play there, but his name is not currently listed in the field:

Pacific Coast Am‏ @PacificCoastAm  Jun 17

Overnight word is that @WAGRank #1 player in the world, Joaquin Niemann (@joaconiemann) is heading west to @ChambersBayGolf! #thrilled

[Mama_Bull]

 

Barbasol Championship Open Qualifier

Mon, Jul 17 at The Auburn University Club 

 

IN CONTENTION - Qualifiers: 4  Alternates: 0

 

Joaquin Niemann (a)  

Key Biscayne, FL

https://alnwflpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/dixiepga17/event/dixiepga1712/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

 

This is a 36 hole event.

The top four players will qualify for the PGA Barbasol Championship.

Ties will be broken by sudden death.

I don't know why they list Niemann as being from Key Biscayne. 

 

 

 

[Mama_Bull]

#2 WAGR Maverick Mcnealy finished T44 at the PGA tour John Deere Classic. As a result  he will likely pick up around 13-15 WAGR points which will cut in half the lead that Niemann holds over him. 

Being last year's Mark McCormack winner, McNealy will be playing this week in the 2017 OPEN Championship. Just by playing there he will pick up about 10 more WAGR points. He could earn significantly more points by making the cut and having a high finish there.

So, it  is important for Niemann to earn one of the four qualifying spots for the PGA Barbasol Championship, tomorrow.

There are about 55 professional and 5 amateur golfers in the field.

It is only an 18 hole qualifier.

His group is the first to tee off on the back nine tomorrow. That could be an advantage.

Pairings:

https://alnwflpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/dixiepga17/event/dixiepga1712/pairings.htm?r=48b97651-9ab2-4c61-9c6a-5bbf627e55c3

Leaderboard: https://alnwflpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/dixiepga17/event/dixiepga1712/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

Hopefully, he qualifies.

However, the Barbasol Championship has a relatively weak field, since the top players will be playing at The OPEN. So, even if he made the cut and did fairly well there, he would probably not earn very many WAGR points.

He probably would have been better off playing this week in the US Junior Amateur, where he played last year and did fairly well. Incoming USF Golfer Won Jun Lee is playing there:

Won Jun Lee, 18, of the Republic of Korea, is competing in his fourth U.S. Junior Amateur and has advanced to match play the previous three years. He reached the quarterfinals last year after progressing to the semifinals in 2015, losing to eventual champion Philip Barbaree. Lee will attend the University of South Florida in the fall after graduating from Saddlebrook Prep School in Florida. Lee, a two-time Rolex Junior All-American, finished eighth in the 2016 Asia-Pacific Amateur and competed in the 2016 U.S. Amateur. He tied for fourth in the AJGA Thunderbird International on May 29.

http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2017/u-s--junior-amateur/articles/u-s--junior-amateur--inside-the-field.html

You can follow Lee on their leaderboard:

http://www.usga.org/championships/2017/u-s--junior-amateur.html

Niemann also passed up a chance to play in the Pacific Coast Amateur. Many of the top amateur players in the world will be in the field.

http://www.pacificcoastamateur.com/

So, Niemann is really taking an unnecessary chance by trying to qualify for this PGA event, when he would have earned significant WAGR points in either of those two strong amateur events.

I suppose the lure of the PGA tour, after getting a taste for it, was too great for him to pass up this week. 

 

[Mama_Bull]

Joaco scores 68 in the Barbasol qualifier.

Last year in this same qualifier, the winner shot 66 and second place was 67. A few players at 68 needed a playoff to decide the final two qualifying spots.

At the moment, scores from just a few groups have been posted and Joaco is currently tied for the lead.

https://alnwflpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/dixiepga17/event/dixiepga1712/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

 

 

 

 

[bullsmeanbusiness]

Still don't understand the move for the PGA qualifier. He stated that the reason why he was delaying his enrollment to USF was to win the McCormack trophy. This move contradicts that statement since he passes up the 2 Amateur events that will have a higher WAGR impact.  My guess is that he doesn't play a round for USF and is as good as gone, now that he has the PGA Tour bug.

[Mama_Bull]

9 minutes ago, bullsmeanbusiness said:

Still don't understand the move for the PGA qualifier. He stated that the reason why he was delaying his enrollment to USF was to win the McCormack trophy. This move contradicts that statement since he passes up the 2 Amateur events that will have a higher WAGR impact.  My guess is that he doesn't play a round for USF and is as good as gone, now that he has the PGA Tour bug.

I can't really argue with you.

I know he is not much of a student and thinks only of playing professional golf.

However, he has stated that just about every successful professional golfer has spent at least some time in college and, therefore, he should as well.

At the moment, I think he is still somewhat undecided on what he will do come January.

 

 

Edited July 17, 2017 by Mama_Bull

[Mama_Bull]

Three players at -5 (67) all qualify.

Joaco and four other players at -4 (68) will playoff for the final qualifying spot.

https://alnwflpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/dixiepga17/event/dixiepga1712/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

 

 

 

[Mama_Bull]

Well, Joaco didn't win the five man playoff and therefore won't be playing in the Barbasol.

The five of them all made par on the first extra hole. On the second hole, a par three, only one player, Brad Sill, made a birdie to take the last spot.

67 Chip Deason Mookie DeMoss Grant Leaver 68 Brad Sill (survived 5-way playoff that included Joaquin Niemann)

I know that he is trying to secure an invite to next week's PGA tournament the RBC Canadian Open.

[Mama_Bull]

Meanwhile, our other star incoming player, Won Jun Lee (WAGR #107) completed his first round -1 (70) which is T22 at the US Junior Amateur.

http://www.wagr.com/en/Ranking/Player.aspx?playerid=11241&ismens=True

I believe that the top 64 players, after two rounds, advance to match play.

Leaderboard: http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2017/u-s--junior-amateur/scoring.html 

[Mama_Bull]

Won Jun Lee is -2 after two rounds which is T18.

http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2017/u-s--junior-amateur/scoring.html

Match play begins tomorrow. Pairings will be announced later tonight.

There is TV coverage starting Thursday, with the round of 16 matches 

http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2017/u-s--junior-amateur.html