Torque GC captain Niemann wins LIV Golf Korea in playoff
BUSAN, South Korea – To win a record eighth LIV Golf individual title, Joaquin Niemann outdueled another highly decorated player in Talor Gooch.
Niemann beat Gooch, the OKGC captain, with a birdie on the first playoff hole Sunday to claim LIV Golf Korea. The win is Niemann’s first in 2026 after winning five times last season; he now has three more wins than any other player in league history.
“It was fun out there,” said the 27-year-old Niemann, the league’s youngest captain. “I really enjoy the feeling of winning again.”
RELATED: FINAL LEADERBOARD
Niemann and Gooch, who shared the 54-hole lead, each finished at 12 under in regulation after they each shot final-round 3-under 67s at Asiad Country Club. Niemann had four birdies in a five-hole stretch on his front nine to take the lead, but Gooch made a 28-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole to tie for the lead during their tense back-nine battle.
In the playoff, Niemann’s approach from 150 yards finished inside six feet to set up his winning birdie putt.
“I feel like every hole was kind of like a match play,” Niemann said. “… I love having that pressure, knowing that you've got to hit the shot and you win the tournament. I feel like that's what I always dreamed when I was a kid, hitting that last shot and making that last putt.”
In the team competition, Torque GC finished sixth at 10 under par. The other three team members finished as follows: Sebastian Muñoz was tied for 23rd (-2), Abraham Ancer was tied for 29th (-1), and Carlos Ortiz was tied for 52nd (+5).
FINAL LEADERBOARDS
Individual Top 10
1 (-12) – Joaquin Niemann, Torque (66-69-66-67) *
2 (-12) – Talor Gooch, OKGC (69-63-69-67)
3 (-11) – Bryson DeChambeau, Crushers (65-68-71-65)
4 (-10) – Dustin Johnson, 4Aces (70-70-64-66)
5 (-9) – Scott Vincent, HyFlyers (65-70-67-69)
T6 (-8) – Brendan Steele, HyFlyers (70-69-68-65); Harold Varner III, OKGC (68-69-68-67)
T8 (-7) – Travis Smyth, Crushers (72-66-68-67); Lucas Herbert, Ripper (71-66-69-67); Marc Leishman, Ripper (69-68-68-68); Charles Howell III, Crushers (65-70-68-70)
* Won on first playoff hole with birdie
Team Top 3
1 (-23) – Crushers GC (DeChambeau 65-68-71-65, Smyth 72-66-68-67, Howell III 65-70-68-70, Lahiri 68-73-70-71; Rd. 4 total: -7)
2 (-20) – OKGC (Gooch 69-63-69-67, Varner III 68-69-68-67, Kokrak 68-70-69-70, McDowell 68-71-73-71; Rd. 4 total: -5)
3 (-15) – Ripper GC (Leishman 69-68-68-68, Herbert 71-66-69-67, Smith 67-68-68-73, Smylie 71-69-74-69; Rd. 4 total: -3)
NIEMANN BACK TO WINNING WAYS: After winning five times last season, Joaquin Niemann had high expectations going into 2026. While being shut out in the first seven tournaments this season, he started to force things.
“I was in the last group in Singapore on Sunday, and looking back to that day, I felt like I was just wanting it so bad to win. I just wanted to win,” he said. “I feel like sometimes it just takes you out of the focus. …
“I just look back to 2025, and it was so easy to win. It just happened and I feel like that's the way it should be, and I feel like I was forcing everything a little bit too much. Just let things happen and just stick to my stuff, stick to my routine and just be part of the show.”
STATS LEADERS
Round 4
Driving Distance: Dean Burmester, 319.6-yard avg.
Longest Drive: Dean Burmester, 345.3 yards (11th hole). Official measured drives taken only on holes 11 and 12.
Driving Accuracy: Victor Perez, 92.86% (13 of 14)
Greens in Regulation: Travis Smyth, Younghan Song, Laurie Canter, 88.89% (16 of 18)
Scrambling: Nine players tied at 100%, led by Richard Bland (7 of 7), Miguel Tabuena (7 of 7)
Fewest Putts: Danny Lee, 24
Bogey-free rounds: Brendan Steele (65), Laurie Canter (65), Louis Oosthuizen (65), Dustin Johnson (66), Branden Grace (67), Richard Bland (67), Miguel Tabuena (68)
Cumulative
Driving Distance: Jon Rahm, 311.3-yard avg.
Driving Accuracy: Ben Campbell, 76.79% (43 of 56)
Greens in Regulation: Laurie Canter, 81.94% (59 of 72)
Scrambling: Richard Bland (27 of 33), 81.82%
Fewest Putts: Danny Lee, 104
Lowest Rounds: Rd. 1 – Bryson DeChambeau, Charles Howell III, Scott Vincent (65); Rd 2 – Talor Gooch (63); Rd. 3 – Dustin Johnson (64); Rd. 4 – Bryson DeChambeau, Brendan Steele, Laurie Canter, David Puig, Cameron Tringale, Josele Ballester, Louis Oosthuizen (65)
