Niemann cards 59 for 2nd-ever sub-60 round in LIV Golf

Welcome to the sub-60 club, Joaquin Niemann.

The Chilean opened the new season with a 12-under 59 on Friday at El Camaleon Golf Course in Mayakoba, Mexico for the second-lowest round in LIV Golf history.

Bryson DeChambeau owns the tour's best score after he carded a 58 at The Greenbrier in 2023.

Niemann had a good chance to join DeChambeau in the 58 club, but he missed a manageable birdie putt on the 18th hole (his second-last hole on the day after starting on No. 2).

"I got to 12(-under) and didn't realize it was (par) 72 or 71 and didn't want to do the math," Niemann said, per The Associated Press. "People started to say, 'Go for 58.' Not my best wedge, but able to be under 60, which is cool."

Niemann's 59 is also a course record at El Camaleon, and it gives him a five-stroke lead over second-place Patrick Reed (-7) entering the tournament's second round. Sergio Garcia (-6) and Jon Rahm (-5) - who was competing in his first LIV event - aren't far behind.

A sub-60 round hasn't been achieved on the PGA TOUR since Scottie Scheffler carded a 59 at the 2020 Northern Trust. Jim Furyk is the only player in PGA TOUR history to shoot 58 when he did so as the 2016 Travelers Championship.

In addition to DeChambeau, there were five other sub-60 rounds in professional golf in 2023. One came via Casey Jarvis on the Sunshine Tour, while the other four were recorded on the Korn Ferry Tour. Niemann's 59 is the first sub-60 round in pro golf in 2024.