"Doesn’t make sense" - Joaquin Niemann’s LIV dominance vs. major struggles leaves analyst puzzled

Joaquin Niemann has won seven LIV Golf events since he joined the Saudi-backed league in 2022. However, he has yet to claim a Major Championship title in his career. Golf analyst Ryan Lavner recently spoke on the LIV golfer’s majorless career, saying that he doesn’t understand the reason behind it.

During the most recent episode of the Golf Podcast with Rex and Lav, golf analysts Rex Hoggard and Lavner discussed golfers’ performances in this season’s majors. The former said that while Niemann has “only gotten better” since joining LIV, his improvement does not show in Major tournaments. The latter then agreed, saying,

"It doesn’t make sense. He blew the doors off the field this week at the LIV event a week after missing the cut at (Royal) Portrush. Like, there’s such a disconnect between what he’s doing week in and week out on LIV and what he does against all the best players on the most demanding, exacting tests of the year.” [35:01 onwards]

Lavner noted that at least, Niemann recorded his first top-10 result in a major tournament at the 2025 PGA Championship. However, he still remained baffled at the two-time PGA Tour winner’s majorless run.

The golf analyst said that he would’ve attributed Joaquin Niemann's dilemma to poor iron play, but that wasn’t the case. He said,

“Like, his iron play in the championships, that was totally fine. That was not the reason. He was losing strokes on the green in three of the four Major championships.” [35:47 onwards]

Lavner concluded by calling Joaquin Niemann a “dominant player on LIV”. He applauded him as a talented player and added that his poor performance in the majors sadly pushes the narrative that he “can only mop up when it’s a meaningless tournament”.

A look at Joaquin Niemann’s dominating victory in the 2025 LIV Golf UK

Joaquin Niemann secured his seventh LIV Golf title on Sunday at JCB Golf & Country Club. He has won five tournaments in the PIF-funded league this year alone.

The Torque GC captain kicked off his first round at LIV Golf UK with six birdies and zero bogeys to card 65 at the end of the day. On day two, he began with three consecutive birdies on the first three holes and fired six more birdies and one bogey in the round to card 63.

Niemann wrapped up his final round with five birdies and two bogeys to card 68. He scored a total of 17-under 196 after 54 holes and finished three strokes ahead of runner-up Bubba Watson.

Earlier this year, Joaquin Niemann won the LIV Golf event at Adelaide, Singapore, and Mexico. He also clinched the 2025 LIV Golf Virginia title in June, winning by one stroke ahead of Anirban Lahiri and Graeme McDowell.

About the author

Sarah Rishama Madaki is a dedicated Golf Writer at Sportskeeda with a passion for bringing fresh perspectives to the world of sports journalism. With five years of professional experience as a content writer and strategist, she has worked with global brands across diverse industries, including stints at Soot Africa, TWU, Ink Different Hub, and Attrock.

A devoted fan of golf, Sarah stays updated on the sport through platforms like ESPN, SS Golf, and esteemed publications such as Golf Digest and Golf.com. She combines her knowledge of the game with an ability to understand audience preferences, crafting stories that resonate deeply with readers.

Sarah credits Tiger Woods as her inspiration for entering the world of golf. His resilience, innovative contributions to the game, and achievements motivate her to push boundaries in her career.

Beyond golf, Sarah is an avid NFL enthusiast cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs, a fiction novel lover, and a budding gardener. She aspires to one day cover historic events like The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, bringing fans closer to the heart of the action.

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Edited by Anisha Chatterjee