Follow us on Google Discover Joaquin Niemann claimed that there is so much he needs to improve upon within his game after setting the pace in the early stages on Thursday at the Irish Open.
Niemann made four birdies in his final five holes of the day to lead the way at Doonbeg. It was a hugely impressive performance on a day when Tyrrell Hatton posted an eight over par round of 78.
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The challenge for the Chilean will be to continue this form over the next three days as he looks to push for only his second DP World Tour victory.
But it seems that Niemann feels that he is far from his best right now.
Joaquin Niemann suggests he still has so much to learn about his game
Speaking after his opening round in Ireland, the 27-year-old assessed how he feels about his game.
“I feel like there’s so much I need to learn about my game and so much I need to improve. But I am just on that highway,” he said.
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“I’m committed to get better and better every time. And I know I can. I know that there’s a lot of room for improvement, so, yeah, I’m happy where it is right now, but there’s a lot to work on.”
Some will like to hear Niemann’s comments. He should be demanding a lot of himself having been such an impressive performer on LIV Golf over the last few years.
But perhaps his comments also highlight just how much LIV Golf has held some players back.
Joaquin Niemann has reached his ceiling on LIV Golf and now needs to leave
Niemann has won nine times on LIV over the years. No one has been more successful when it comes to winning tournaments with the breakaway league.
However, that has not translated into success at the four biggest events of the year. Niemann has registered just two top-10s in 29 major championship appearances. Of course, a lot of those appearances came while he was a PGA Tour member.
He has never finished higher than seventh at a major.
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He has also won twice on LIV this year. So it is alarming that he still feels that there is so much that he needs to improve upon.
Obviously, Scottie Scheffler benefits from never being satisfied with his game. He is always ready to work extremely hard to make sure that he remains at his best.
But Niemann’s comments almost come across as a crisis in confidence. He knows that he has all of the tools to be one of the best players on the planet, but he has not been able to realise that full potential.
It must not be forgotten that just one LIV player finished in the top 30 at The Masters earlier this year. Meanwhile, there was not a single player in the league who made the cut at all four major championships in 2026.
They have also not had a major winner since the 2024 US Open.
Niemann should be bursting with confidence after winning twice this year, including one victory just last month.
Instead, he is at a crossroads in his career. It is not yet clear where he will be playing next season.
If he wants to realise his full potential, now is surely the time for Niemann to get away from LIV.
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