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

[CousinRicky]

There were some on here that said that he probably wouldn't make it to campus.  I was not one of them. I guess this is like hoping Jose Fernandez was getting here for baseball.

[Mama_Bull]

Joaquin Niemann wins 2017 Mark H. McCormack Medal

 

Joaquin Niemann’s memorable and impressive 2017 continues.

On Thursday, the 18-year-old Chilean was awarded the Mark H. McCormack Medal for finishing the summer as the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

“I am very honored to receive the prestigious 2017 Mark H. McCormack medal,” said Niemann, the first player from South America to win the McCormack Medal since its inception in 2007. “Thank you to the USGA and The R&A for this important award.”

Niemann finished runner-up at the Latin America Amateur in January to start what would be a year of multiple victories. Niemann won three pro events in Chile, the AJGA TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior at Innisbrook, the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the AJGA Sergio Garcia Junior.

He also qualified for the U.S. Open at Erin Hills and tied for 29th at the Greenbrier Classic, and was a quarterfinalist at the Western Amateur. At the 2017 U.S. Amateur, Niemann made match play before losing to Braden Thornberry in the Round of 64.

For winning the McCormack Medal, Niemann receives exemptions into the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and 2018 British Open at Carnoustie.

He must remain an amateur to use those exemptions, though. And Niemann has expressed plans to turn pro soon. He was committed to South Florida, but could not complete a test requirement to join the Bulls this fall, and told Golfweek at Riviera that he likely wouldn’t take the exam again and instead turn his focus on just playing golf.

http://golfweek.com/2017/08/24/joaquin-niemann-wins-2017-mark-h-mccormack-medal/

 

[Mama_Bull]

CHAMPIONSHIPS

Chile's Joaquin Niemann Wins 2017 McCormack Medal

AUGUST 24, 2017 | FAR HILLS, N.J. AND ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

Joaquin Niemann, of Chile, is the first player from South America to win the Mark H. McCormack Medal for being the leading amateur golfer. (USGA/John Gress)

 

As the leading player in the 2017 World Amateur Golf Ranking™ at the close of the summer’s championship season, Joaquin Niemann, of Chile, is the winner of the Mark H. McCormack Medal.

"I am very honored to receive the prestigious 2017 Mark H. McCormack medal,” said Niemann, the first player from South America to win the McCormack Medal since its inception in 2007. “Thank you to the USGA and The R&A for this important award."

A 2016 Rolex Junior All-America First-Team selection, Niemann kicked off 2017 with a runner-up finish in the 3rd Latin America Amateur Championship, where he competed in a three-man playoff for the title. He also made several appearances in professional events in 2017, including the U.S. Open and the GreenBrier Classic, where he returned a 72-hole score of 5-under 275 that included a round-leading 64 in the final round. He also won three professional events in Chile, as well as the TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior at Innisbrook and the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club, both in April.

In last week’s U.S. Amateur at The Riviera Country Club and Bel-Air Country Club, Niemann lost to NCAA individual champion and 2017 USA Walker Cup Team member Braden Thornberry in the Round of 64, 1 down. A two-time winner of the IMG Academy Junior World Championship (2015-16), Niemann advanced to the quarterfinals in the 2017 Western Amateur.

Niemann, who joins Danny Lee (2008) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (2013) as the only 18-year-olds to earn the McCormack Medal, will receive an exemption into the 2018 U.S. Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y. (June 14-17), and the 147th Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland (July 19-22), provided he remains an amateur.

 

WINNERS OF MARK H. MCCORMACK MEDAL

YEAR	NAME	COUNTRY
2017	Joaquin Niemann	Chile
2016	Maverick McNealy	United States
2015	Jon Rahm	Spain
2014	Oliver Schniederjans	United States
2013	Matthew Fitzpatrick	England
2012	Chris Williams	United States
2011	Patrick Cantlay	United States
2010	Peter Uihlein	United States
2009	Nick Taylor	Canada
2008	Danny Lee	New Zealand
2007	Colt Knost	United States

This R&A and United States Golf Association (USGA) award is named after Mark H. McCormack, who founded the sports marketing company IMG and was a great supporter of amateur golf.

Duncan Weir, Executive Director – Golf Development at The R&A, said, “Joaquin is a thoroughly deserving winner of the Mark H. McMack medal, and I wish to congratulate him on an excellent season. It’s wonderful to see another talented young golfer emerge from South America to compete on the global stage, and we look forward to welcoming Joaquin to Carnoustie for The 147th Open next year.”

“Joaquin Niemann has consistently returned impressive results, especially in high-profile events, and the USGA is pleased to see his steady play recognized with the McCormack Medal,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director, Championships & Governance. “We look forward to watching Joaquin succeed for many years to come.”

Last week, Leona Maguire, of Ireland, was named the winner of the Mark H. McCormack Medal for the third consecutive year as the leading player in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking™.

The World Amateur Golf Ranking™, which is supported by Rolex, was established in 2007 with the launch of the men’s ranking which encompasses more than 2,600 counting events, ranking more than 6,000 players from 103 countries. The women’s ranking was launched in 2011 and has a calendar of more than 1,400 counting events with more than 2,700 ranked players from 73 countries.

http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2017/08/chile-s-joaquin-niemann-wins-2017-mccormack-medal.html

Edited August 24, 2017 by Mama_Bull

[Oldsmobull]

Joaquin probably needs to turn pro if he paid for all his travel expenses so far this year with a credit card.  Costs a lot of money flying to all these tournaments he played in as an amateur.

[Mama_Bull]

8 minutes ago, Oldsmobull said:

Joaquin probably needs to turn pro if he paid for all his travel expenses so far this year with a credit card.  Costs a lot of money flying to all these tournaments he played in as an amateur.

From what I have read, he doesn't plan on turning pro immediately.

He will continue to play as an amateur the rest of the year, even in professional events and see how he does.

Whenever he decides to turn professional, he will then sign some lucrative sponsor endorsements, since he is the #1 amateur in the world. Those alone will more than cover whatever expenses he incurred as an amateur.

I just hope that he doesn't ultimately decide to remain an amateur through 2008 and enroll at another university in January that doesn't require the English language test, like won Jun Lee did with UF.

USF Men's Golf now has only one new player on its current roster. 

 

[CousinRicky]

43 minutes ago, Mama_Bull said:

From what I have read, he doesn't plan on turning pro immediately.

He will continue to play as an amateur the rest of the year, even in professional events and see how he does.

Whenever he decides to turn professional, he will then sign some lucrative sponsor endorsements, since he is the #1 amateur in the world. Those alone will more than cover whatever expenses he incurred as an amateur.

I just hope that he doesn't ultimately decide to remain an amateur through 2008 and enroll at another university in January that doesn't require the English language test, like won Jun Lee did with UF.

USF Men's Golf now has only one new player on its current roster. 

 

Coach was so psyched about the coming year. He can't be thrilled with recent events.

[Mama_Bull]

1 minute ago, Bourbon Bull said:

Coach was so psyched about the coming year. He can't be thrilled with recent events.

No doubt.

He must be very frustrated by being saddled with an English test requirement that UF and many other schools do not have. 

We would have been a serious NCAA title contender with Niemann and Lee on the roster.

USF Men's Golf will still be good enough to contend for the AAC championship and probably another NCAA regional appearance, but that is a far cry from what he expected. 

 

[Triple B]

He's no longer coming here, correct?

[Mama_Bull]

44 minutes ago, Triple B said:

He's no longer coming here, correct?

It seems that way. He doesn't want to retake the English test that USF requires.

He could still change his mind, between now and the spring semester, but it's highly doubtful.

From article I posted earlier today:

"He must remain an amateur to use those exemptions, though. And Niemann has expressed plans to turn pro soon. He was committed to South Florida, but could not complete a test requirement to join the Bulls this fall, and told Golfweek at Riviera that he likely wouldn’t take the exam again and instead turn his focus on just playing golf."

 

 

[Triple B]

2 hours ago, Mama_Bull said:

It seems that way. He doesn't want to retake the English test that USF requires.

He could still change his mind, between now and the spring semester, but it's highly doubtful.

From article I posted earlier today:

"He must remain an amateur to use those exemptions, though. And Niemann has expressed plans to turn pro soon. He was committed to South Florida, but could not complete a test requirement to join the Bulls this fall, and told Golfweek at Riviera that he likely wouldn’t take the exam again and instead turn his focus on just playing golf."

 

 

Since this thread has basically been your baby, Mama, you let me know when it's time to move it to the General sports board ...