Niemann produces best major result, secures spot for 2026 PGA

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – When Joaquin Niemann walked off the course Sunday afternoon at the PGA Championship, he wasn’t sure if he had done enough to qualify for next year. Nor was it much of a motivating factor during his final round at Quail Hollow.

“That’s, in a way, a cheap mindset,” the Torque GC captain said. “I felt like I needed to go out there and try to catch the leaders.”

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His 3-under 68 wasn’t enough to catch eventual winner Scottie Scheffler, but his 4 under total for the week did produce his best major result, a tie for eighth along with eight other players. He had never finished inside the top 15 in his previous 23 major starts.

It also guarantees him a spot in the 2026 PGA Championship, as all top-15 finishers receive exemptions for next year’s tournament at Aronimink.

“It’s great to see results,” said Niemann, who is the current LIV Golf points leader, having won three of the season’s first seven tournaments. "Obviously I don't feel like I have great results in these kinds of tournaments, but I feel like it's a little step forward.

“I felt great out there. I feel like I could go a little better. Just happy with how it is. I mean it is what it is, and I feel like I got a lot to learn and practice and get better a lot.”

Niemann’s round was highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 seventh and consecutive birdies on Quail Hollow’s final two scoring holes, the drivable par-4 14th and the par-5 15th. It could’ve been even more spectacular, as he hit the pin on his second shot at the 14th and jarred his third shot into 15.

When he walked into the scorer’s tent, he was tied for 13th. At one point, he was tied for 15th, but then began moving up the leaderboard as players with later tee times started to reach the tough closing stretch known as the Green Mile.

“Could’ve been a really, really good round and having a pretty good result and maybe two or three shots that I could have done better and put some pressure up to the leaders,” Niemann said. “Still short, but it's a little bit more positive to see those scores on Sunday out here.”

HATTON, REED SECURE U.S. OPEN SPOTS: With the latest world rankings released after the PGA Championship, Legion XIII’s Tyrrell Hatton and 4Aces GC’s Patrick Reed are confirmed for next month’s U.S. Open at Oakmont.

One of the exemptions for the U.S. Open is for players inside the top 60 of the world rankings as of May 19. Hatton will be 22nd and Reed 56th when the rankings become official Monday.