LIV Golf captain Joaquín Niemann was hit with a rare two-stroke penalty at the U.S. Open on Friday morning following a fiery outburst during his opening round at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. The discipline turned a disastrous quintuple-bogey 9 on the par-4 sixth hole into a 7-over 11, sinking his first-round score to an 8-over 78.
The incident unfolded late Thursday evening before play was suspended due to darkness. After driving two balls out of bounds, Niemann reportedly requested relief from fire ants near his ball in the heavy native grass. When a USGA rules official denied the request, the 27-year-old Chilean golfer allegedly kicked a marker flag and hurled his club at least 50 yards in frustration, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.
The USGA officially retroactively applied the penalty on Friday under Rule 1.2b, citing "serious misconduct." The rule explicitly states players must show consideration to others and maintain the spirit of the game, giving committees the authority to issue penalties or even disqualification for behavioral violations.
Niemann is the first player to face stroke-penalty discipline for conduct at a major tournament this season, following a simple warning issued to Sergio García at the Masters in April.
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