LIV Golf Star Gets Rare Two-Stroke Penalty at U.S. Open for Throwing a Fit on the Course
LIV Golf Star Gets Rare Two-Stroke Penalty at U.S. Open for Throwing a Fit on the Course
Andy Nesbitt|Joaquin Niemann carded an 11 on the par-4 sixth hole in Thursday’s first round of the U.S. Open. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
LIV Golf star Joaquin Niemann had a disastrous hole in the first round of the U.S. Open that all but ended his hopes of winning his first major championship well before the weekend even begins. On Friday, that hole got even worse as he was issued a two-stroke penalty by the USGA for “serious misconduct” which turned his nine into an 11 on the par-4 sixth hole.
Niemann hit two drives out of bounds on the sixth hole and then scrambled his way to a quadruple bogey. On the USGA’s official U.S. Open leaderboard, the play-by-play of his hole shows that he received the two penalty shots after he hit his sixth shot from the native area. He hit that one just 112 yards and still had 131 yards to the pin, so he was clearly frustrated with his play and ended up throwing his club in disgust, which led to the punishment.
“Joaquin Niemann was assessed two penalty strokes for throwing a club on the 6h hole during Round 1,” the USGA announced on Friday. “This act was determined to be serious misconduct under Rule 1.2b.”
Here’s how that hole went for Niemann:
Joaquin Niemann’s sixth hole on Thursday was a disaster. | @USGA
The Athletic’s Gabby Herzig was able to track down some information on Niemann’s club toss, and these details are pretty wild:
Just talked to a volunteer, Tristan Chang, who witnessed Joaquin Niemann’s club throw that cost him a two-shot penalty:
-After hitting two balls OB, Niemann tried to get free relief from fire ants (to no avail) from where his third drive ended up in the fescue -Got visibly…
Niemann ended up carding an eight-over 78 in his first round, which isn’t all that bad considering what he did on the sixth hole and the penalty strokes he received.
He addressed the penalty after his second round:
Joaquin Niemann on how he found out about his code of conduct penalty and his reaction to the ruling: pic.twitter.com/ZINrmCCGW4
How Joaquin Niemann was able to shake that off and likely make the cut
Making the cut at the U.S. Open is never an easy thing to do. Throw an 11 on your card in the first round, and it would be easy to assume that you’ll be looking for a flight out of town on Friday night.
But that’s not what Niemann will be doing because he was able to shake off the two-stroke penalty and likely make it to the weekend thanks to a five-under 65 in the second round. Niemann started with two straight birdies and then later added five more while making just two bogeys. He’s at three-over, which has him in a good position to make the cut. The current cutline is projected to be four or five-over.
Who is Joaquin Niemann
Niemann was a rising star on the PGA Tour before leaving for LIV Golf in August 2022. He had two wins on the PGA Tour, with his biggest coming at the 2022 Genesis Invitational at famed Riviera Country Club. He has won eight times on LIV Golf, with his most recent one coming two weeks ago in a playoff at LIV Golf Korea.
Winners and Losers From First Round of the 2026 U.S. Open: Wyndham > Wind
Niemann’s success on the PGA Tour and then LIV Golf hasn’t led to much success at major championships, however. The 27-year-old Chilean’s best showing at a major came last year at the PGA Championship when finished tied for eighth, his only top 10 so far on the biggest stages of professional golf.
His actions at Shinnecock could end up costing him a chance of making it to the weekend. And if it does, he has nobody to blame but himself.
More U.S. Open from Sports Illustrated
Published Jun 19, 2026 | Modified Jun 19, 2026ANDY NESBITT
Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
ANDY NESBITT
