LIV Golf star Joaquin Niemann demands points system change after losing $27m prize
Former Australian Open champion, and five-time LIV Golf winner, Joaquin Niemann has called for major reform into the Saudi-backed league after being robbed of a $27m bonus.
Former Australian Open champion Joaquin Niemann has urged LIV Golf to change its controversial points system which denied him one of the richest purses in the sport’s history and left fans bewildered.
Niemann, who won five individual titles throughout the season on the Saudi-backed league, lost out to Jon Rahm, who didn’t claim a single event but finished inside the top 10 in all bar one of the 13 tournaments.
While much of LIV’s off-season debate has focused on its switch to 72-hole events from 54, Niemann wants a more substantial change to how the league calculates its overall winner.
Rahm pocketed $27 million for being the top player at the end of the 2025 season, amassing a horde of points despite not being able to close out a tournament.
Rahm finished on 226.16 points ahead of Niemann on 223.68, enough for him to scoop a $12 million bonus.
The individual winner of each LIV event is given 40 points to the overall standings, while second gets 30, third 24 and fourth 18.
“Obviously, the points system was there already, we all knew what it was, but I do feel it’s probably not the best way to do it,” Niemann told News Corp.
“Normally, it will favour whoever wins and they get a bigger advantage to whoever finishes in second place (at each event).
“It’s a learning process for the league. I think they might change it, and I think it will be for good (reasons).
“It won’t just be for us, it will be for the whole field. They only give points to 24th place. You can have a bad year and then have a really good finish and then you will be ahead of a guy who played pretty consistent all season.
“There’s going to be improvements, for sure.”
Marc Leishman, who won his first individual title in Miami, was the best of the Australians in 13th overall from Lucas Herbert (15th) and Cameron Smith (18th).
Chile’s Niemann has helped beef up the field for the Australian PGA Championship by bringing Torque GC teammates Carlos Ortiz and Sebastian Munoz to Royal Queensland and next week’s Australian Open, which has garnered worldwide interest because of the chance to drive down Magnolia Lane for the Masters.
Niemann has been a regular visitor to Australia in recent years and has been given a special invite to the Masters for the past two years despite not meeting any of Augusta National’s qualifying criteria.
Augusta acknowledged Niemann’s effort to play a global schedule and winning the Australian Open in 2023 as factors for including him in last year’s field.
But Niemann is again facing the reality of having no status for three of next year’s four majors given LIV has still been blocked from earning world rankings points, and he missed the cut at the US Open and The Open Championship. He finished tied-29th at the Masters.
Asked about the Masters spot up for grabs to the winner of the Australian Open, Niemann said: “It’s massive.
“For me not being in the Masters, it kind of really sucks. I should have played better in those four (majors), but with no world rankings it’s hard to get into the top 50. I feel like I’ve got a great opportunity next week and I’ll try my best.
“You want the opportunity of qualifying for the Masters and the Australian Open is huge. There are so many good players with ambition of winning majors, but unfortunately they’re not into them.
“I want to start winning (majors), but it’s a learning process. Everything comes at the right time, so I’m just patient doing the things I’m doing. I’m pretty happy with where I’m at now and it’s just a matter of time.”
Originally published as LIV Golf star Joaquin Niemann demands points system change after losing $27m prize
The golden ticket driving Leishman for Aus Open success
