A motivated Niemann concludes his season with The International Series title
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Cameron Smith finished first, about an hour ahead of the final group at Riyadh Golf Club. He had just shot up the leaderboard with a 9-under 62, leaving him with the clubhouse lead at 21 under. An impressive total, but fellow LIV Golf competitors Joaquin Niemann and Caleb Surratt were one shot better and about to play the easiest hole on the course, the par-5 15th.
No way, thought Smith. He’d be lucky to finish top 5. Even so, he grabbed a table and hung out with Ripper GC teammate Matt Jones, waiting. Just in case.
“Kinda lucky there wasn’t any beer in the clubhouse because I would’ve had a few, I think,” Smith said. “It’s a weird game sometimes and you never really know what’s going to happen.”
Indeed – especially with two trophies at stake.
Saturday’s final round of the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisors turned into season-ending drama on multiple levels for The International Series. What appeared to be a two-man battle for the tournament title late in the day turned into a three-man playoff. What appeared to be a fait accompli for the International Series title at the start of the day became a tight contest eventually decided by a handful of points.
And in the end, it was the Torque GC Captain Niemann who finished The International Series year much like he started the LIV Golf season 10 months ago, holding aloft the winning trophy. Two, in this case, as his 1,000 points for winning the Saudi International improbably moved him from 36th to first in the final standings.
Perhaps it’s fitting that Niemann swooped in at the last minute to claim the first season-long championship in his professional career.
After winning two of the first three LIV Golf tournaments in 2024, he topped the Individual Championship standings for the rest of the season … until Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm caught him late, ultimately clinching the title in a mano-a-mano duel with Niemann at LIV Golf Chicago in the regular-season finale.
In regards to The International Series, Niemann played the opening tournament in Oman, finishing solo third. His only chance of claiming the series title this week was to win in Riyadh and hope the rest of the leaderboard breaks his way. Which it did.
“Obviously it hurts finishing second in the LIV season,” Niemann said. “I really wanted to win. I worked really hard for it. I don’t feel like …”
And then Niemann stopped for a moment, wanting to make clear exactly what he wanted to convey.
“I was going to say I felt like I deserved it, but you don’t really deserve anything here in sports. You just have to put your head down, keep working for it. Being second, I feel like it gave me that extra motivation to play here in these last events of the year and make something happen.
“It’s great to have a win and win The International Series as well. Gives me a better taste at the end of the year than being second on LIV. Pretty happy with the way it finished.”
He wasn’t happy with the way regulation finished, though. Neither was Surratt, a member of Rahm’s Legion XIII. Both were still 22 under as they reached the 18th tee, but Surratt found the water with his drive right and had to scramble just for bogey while Niemann found the brush with his drive left and had to chop out. He had a chance to get up-and-down for par but missed the putt.
As they trudged to the scorer’s tent at 21 under, Smith scrambled out of the comfort of his clubhouse chair to join the playoff.
Meanwhile, The International Series championship remained in limbo.
RangeGoats GC’s Peter Uihlein, who had entered as the points leader following his victory last week in Qatar, had opened the door to all kinds of permutations. Having started the day tied for second on the tournament leaderboard, Uihlein shot a 3-over 74 – his lone birdie of the day coming on the final hole – to finish tied for 29th.
Uihlein walked out of the scorer’s tent convinced he had squandered his chance at the season-long crown. He figured Niemann and Surratt each controlled their own fates (win the tournament and win The International Series) but thought a Smith victory would allow Campbell to leap-frog past him in the standings and earn the coveted spot into next year’s LIV Golf League.
But when he saw Campbell in the clubhouse, the New Zealander joked, “Really needed you to double that last hole.” Uihlein then realized that a Smith tournament victory would give him the season title.
“I got a 1-in-3 chance,” Uihlein said as he waited for the outcome. “And the guy in my corner is pretty damn good.”
Smith was very good on the first playoff hole, but so were Niemann and Surratt. All three stuck their approaches close and knocked in the birdie putts. On the second playoff hole, Smith got a huge break when his drive bounced off the cart path and into the fairway. But Niemann’s aggressive line paid off, as his chip shot from 31 yards set up his short winning birdie putt after the other two failed to convert from longer distances.
“Tough pill to swallow,” said the 20-year-old Surratt, looking for his first pro win. “… I hit six perfect golf shots in the playoff, and I didn't really find my way this time. Hopefully one day it does.”
For Smith, the outcome epitomized his 2024 season as a whole. In 21 individual worldwide starts, he finished runner-up six times, third twice and had five other top 10s. But no wins. “Feel like when I’ve played really good golf, someone’s been there to beat me,” he said. “Just haven’t quite got the break you need to win a golf tournament. Can’t wait for 2025.”
Uihlein could only shrug his shoulders. He wasn’t about to beat himself up over the lost opportunity. “It’s been a good year, a good season,” he said. “I’m not disappointed at all. Just didn’t go my way today. Putter just abandoned me. Obviously, I made my share the first three days. I think it caught me.”
Niemann, meanwhile, tried to wrap his head around the conclusion of his season. Less than a week ago, he shot a final-round 72 on Sunday to play his way out of contention at the Australian Open. Two weeks before that, he shot 73 on Sunday, eliminating his chances at the DP World Championship. Going into the final round at Riyadh, he reminded himself it was Saturday. Different vibes. Different outcome?
“Might be a sign that it might be my day,” he said.
It took two extra holes, but indeed it was.
(Photos courtesy of Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour)