Chile’s Joaquin Niemann completed arguably the finest season of his career after winning the US$5million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers and The International Series Rankings title following a memorable play-off victory.
Niemann made a brilliant birdie, off the back of an exquisite lob shot to a foot, on the second play-off hole to triumph at Riyadh Golf Club and see off fellow LIV Golf players Cameron Smith and Caleb Surratt, after both missed close-range putts.
The victory was worth US$1 million and 1000 points, enough to edge victory in The International Series Rankings after an incredibly close finish to the race.
His success meant American Peter Uihlein and Ben Campbell from New Zealand finished second and third on The International Rankings, with Asian Tour Order of Merit champion John Catlin fourth.
Niemann, Surratt and Smith had all birdied the first hole of the play-off – played on the par four 18th – soon after Niemann and Surratt, paired in the last group, both unexpectedly bogeyed the last to fall back into a tie with Smith on 21 under.
Niemann, the leader at the start of the day by one, closed with a four-under-par 67, Surratt shot a 66 while Smith, seemingly out of the running playing in the sixth from last group, stormed through with a 62.
It was a thrilling finish to the season-ending event on the Asian Tour and The International Series, which is also the most lucrative event of the season.
“I enjoy being in that position, but there's times sometimes that it takes a little bit longer. It was a good day. Caleb and me, we played great,” said Niemann, who plays on the LIV Golf League for Torque GC.
“Never thought we were going to be in a play-off with Cam Smith. He was early. An hour before us when he was done. I thought we were going to stay away from the 21-under, but you never know in golf.”
Niemann got off to the perfect start with birdies on the first three holes and appeared on course for the win before dropping a shot on 14. On the 18th he found trouble off the tee and hacked his second out of some small trees and into the fairway before missing a tricky five footer for the outright win. Surrat made bogey after pushing his tee shot into the lake on the right. It was a calamitous finish in contrast to Smith who made birdie there.
He added: “Yeah, it's a really good way to wrap up the season. I'm really excited for what's coming next season on LIV and hopefully get into a few Majors.”
It also marked his second win of the season in Saudi, as he claimed the LIV Golf Jeddah in March shortly after winning LIV Golf Mayakoba.
Said Smith: “I think it was a bonus to even get in there, to be fair, sitting down for an hour and a bit. It was fine. I did what I had to do. Obviously, a shame to miss the putt there, but it is what it is.
“I was thinking my percentage of having a top five was very slim. Yeah, it's a weird game sometimes. It's kind of lucky that there wasn't any beers in the clubhouse because I would have had a few, I think. It's a weird game sometimes, and you never really know what's going to happen.”
Surratt, just 20-years-old, was attempting to win for the first time as a professional event.
The bogey on 18th was his only dropped shot and means yet another narrow miss on the Asian Tour, following joint third and second place finishes in International Series events in Morocco and England this year.
“Yeah, it's a tough pill to swallow,” said the American, who plays for Legion XIII on the LIV Golf League. "I've been really close a few times this year in The International Series, and I really fought hard this week because I didn't get off to a great start.
“I did all I could do. I hit six perfect golf shots in the playoff, and I didn't really find my way this time, and hopefully one day it does.”
Campbell missed out on the play-off, and the chance of a place on next year’s LIV Golf League that comes with winning The International Series Rankings, by one shot after closing with a 64.
Englishman Tyrell Hatton, in with a 67, claimed solo fifth, one back from Campbell.
The International Series is the most prized pathway in golf. It consists of 10 elite tournaments sanctioned by the Asian Tour and offers the year-long Rankings leader promotion to the LIV Golf League
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