There’s no stopping red-hot Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann capturing a 21st tournament victory thanks to his play-off success at LIVGolfKorea.
Torque GC captain Niemann birdied the first extra hole to deny American Taylor Gooch and also celebrate his record-setting 8th LIV Golf triumph, a first in season 2026 after capturing five on last year’s Tour.
CHILEAN-BORN NIEMANN JUST GETS ….
As Joaquin Niemann @joacotracker @joaco_tracker celebrates a 2⃣1⃣st pro career & record-setting 8⃣th @livgolf_league success at #LIVGolfKorea
Read: https://t.co/TXf3nUavi1
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✅ @TOURMISS pic.twitter.com/UqweltI1Fl
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) May 31, 2026
“It was fun out there,” said the 27-year-old Niemann, the league’s youngest captain. “I really enjoy the feeling of winning again.”
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.
️Immediate reaction from LIV Golf Korea champion, @joaconiemann
JERRY: “Joaco, the sweet smell of victory that you’re used to, now your eighth time doing it. You were very laid back and not looking nervous coming up this last hole in the playoff, joking with Diego Salinas,… pic.twitter.com/I13BT8dc2Q
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) May 31, 2026
“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.”
Said a disappointed Gooch, who was seeking his fifth LIV Golf individual title: “It’s frustrating when you have a chance to win. That doesn’t come too often in this game, so you want to capitalize on it.”
Bryson DeChambeau finished third on 10-under and fellow major champ Dustin Johnson fourth at 10-under.
Image – LIV Golf
DeChambeau’s efffort helped steer his Crushers side to a successful defence of their LIV Golf Korea title won on a different course last year in Incheon, shooting a collective 23 under to beat OKGC by three shots. With their second win of this season, the Crushers now have 10 regular-season victories, breaking a tie with Legion XIII and 4Aces GC for most by any team.
“Just grateful, super grateful that I’ve got amazing guys, an amazing team,” said DeChambeau, who finished solo third individually at 11 under, one shot out of a playoff. “We all click in different ways, but we all work to make our team the best out here.”
Those 10 wins have come in 50 regular-season starts since the core group of DeChambeau, Charles Howell III, Anirban Lahiri and Paul Casey were established midway through the inaugural 2022 season.
Sunday’s win, however, was the first with a lineup adjustment, as reserve player Travis Smyth filled in for Casey, who was sidelined with a wrist injury.
