Joaquin Niemann cools off, however holds on to LIV Golf New York lead
Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Joaquin Niemann performs his shot from a bunker by the tenth inexperienced in the course of the second spherical of The Open Championship golf match at Royal Birkdale. Obligatory Credit score: Invoice Streicher-Imagn Photos After a pair of blistering rounds, Joaquin Niemann cooled off on Saturday but clung to a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the LIV Golf New York occasion in Bedminster, N.J.
The Chilean stands at 14-under-par 199 after his third-round 70, however his lead shrank from 5 strokes to 2 in the course of the third spherical as Harold Varner III vaulted up the leaderboard with a 65 at Trump Nationwide Golf Membership.
Englishman Lee Westwood duplicated his Thursday spherical of 2-under 69 to drop into solo third at 10 beneath par. Westwood is three photographs away from Northern Eire’s Tom McKibbin (70), whereas Spain’s Sergio Garcia (72) dropped eight photographs off the tempo.
The staff scores took a beating within the windy situations. Niemann’s Torque GC is the lone staff beneath par at 1-under after amassing an 8-over rating on Saturday. McKibbin’s Legion XIII facet lapped the sector with a 4-under spherical and closed to inside two strokes.
Niemann, who performed bogey-free golf by 36 holes whereas posting rounds of 64 and 65, opened with a double-bogey 6 after his drive on the 514-yard par 4 went out of bounds to the precise.
He shot 36 on the entrance 9 after fixing the outward half in 30 on Thursday and Friday.
Niemann, in search of his ninth LIV Golf particular person title, steadied himself on the inward half. He made birdies at Nos. 12 and 15, however one other wayward drive price him a possibility for birdie on the ending gap, a 580-yard par 5.
“I imply, it was a reasonably good final 17 holes,” Niemann stated. “Clearly not the perfect begin. However fairly proud and glad the best way I performed immediately, particularly coming into the tip of the spherical.”
Varner began the day tied with McKibbin for fourth place, seven photographs behind Niemann. He posted the bottom spherical of the day by a margin of three photographs, making 4 birdies on the entrance 9 on the best way to a bogey-free spherical.
“Yeah, clearly it fits my sport,” stated Varner concerning the Bedminster format. “It is enjoying actually lengthy proper now. Clearly it is — I do not know the way lengthy it’s, nevertheless it’s a bonus for me. It is an incredible alternative to do one thing properly.
“I really feel like I have been enjoying properly, and tomorrow goes to be an incredible likelihood.”
Westwood admitted to some fatigue coming down the stretch on a blustery day. He was at 12 beneath by 12 holes, however took a double bogey on No. 14 and a bogey at 16.
“I am simply happy to be in adequate form, my sport nonetheless be at an elite degree the place I can compete with these guys which might be among the greatest on this planet,” Westwood stated. “Joaco is without doubt one of the greatest gamers on this planet, in my eyes. You have acquired Jon Rahm and Bryson and Tyrrell, they usually’re not even in competition this week.
“At 53 years of age, I believe it is fairly an achievement to nonetheless be mixing it with the kids. If you happen to go on the market and watch us all enjoying, I am giving up fairly a bonus off the tee. Not on a regular basis, I get the occasional one on the market, however generally, I am enjoying a distinct golf course, actually.”
Niemann plans to hold an admirable angle into the ultimate spherical.
“I imply, simply be grateful,” Niemann stated. “I really feel like if I simply keep in mind the great issues that I’ve round me and the folks round me, it is simply straightforward to return to sleep. I’ve a very good life.”
–Discipline Degree Media
