Couple skipper Neimann and Legion XII extend 2025 Domination

Liv Golf UK by JCB winner Joaquín Niemann, captain of Torque GC, poses on Sunday with his trophy in Rocester. Image Courtesy Liv Golf.

A correspondent

Rocester, England: In the midst of Hoog Drama, Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann and Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII, their dominance practiced in Liv Golf UK on Sunday to continue their stay on top of the seasonal classification.

This season, Niemann won for a record of the fifth time and shot a 3 under 68 to end up at 17 and a spectacular back-nine challenge from Rangartheats GC Captain Bubba Watson.

Legion XIII won their second consecutive and fourth team title of the year, this time led by the youngest member, the 21-year-old Caleb Surratt, who earned the first stage finish of his LIV golf career.

India star Anirban Lahiri finally found his feet on Sunday after an opening of 76 with the best map of the round, a 7 under par 64 that contained an eagle, six birdies and one shot.

With the three-shot victory, Niemann extended his lead in the individual points race to 37.64 points about Rahm and can now conquer the individual championship on LIV Golf Chicago next month.

Leader

Niemann becomes the first player to win five times in a season; The 26-year-old from Chile now has seven LIV golf winsts, most individual player.

“If I play my best game, I know I can win,” said Niemann. “I think that is the only thing that is important to me is to find that more often.”

After entering the final round with an advantage of six shots, Niemann did not have his A-Game on Sunday on Sunday, but his regular game enabled him to build his advantage to eight shots with 10 holes to play.

That is then Watson, the 46-year-old from Florida, produced the best six-hole stretch in LIV golf history.

It started with a Birdie at the Par-3 nine nine when his Tee shot landed within three feet. He then acted the PAR-5 10th with a brilliant driver of the deck on his second shot that ended in six feet.

He followed with Birdies on the 11th and 12th holes and then used another driver of the deck on the par-5 13th to set up another 21-feet eagle. He ended the great piece with a birdie on the par-3 14th from 12 feet.

In the zone

“It’s almost like having black -out,” said Watson. “If that piece happens, you are just a bit unconscious, right?

“One of those moments, broken for an hour, that was incredible … That was crazy. Throwing in the Eagles with two drivers of the deck was pretty special, quite spectacular.”

With Watson’s 8-Under Run he was able to move within two shots of the leadership that went to the Par-4 15th.

That was when Niemann reacted with a approach shot from 140 meters from a difficult lie in the rough, followed by a five-foot Birdie Putt that gave him a much needed breathing space.

“I never thought he was in the photo,” Niemann said about Watson. “(At that time) he started making those movements, started to make a big load, and I felt a little more uncomfortable with my leadership in a certain way. … was able to make a great shot at 15. That brought me back into my place.”

Watson eventually shot 65 to finish Solo Second at 14 below, while Surratt also scored 65 to end up a blow, the best individual results for each player since he became a member of Liv Golf.

The game of Surratt was especially important for the team, because it encouraged Legion XIII to produce a new final round rally with a cumulative 14-under total on Sunday to win with eight strokes over torque, where Rahm also shoots 65 to bind for the fifth.

It was not only the very first top 10 of Surratt on Liv Golf, it was the first time he had led his team after a tournament.

“It means a lot,” Surratt said. “Show me a lot. It is very difficult to be at the top of the Leaderboard, especially for the first time … To be able to do it on a day on which I knew it would be very, very difficult, means a lot to myself.”

Large week

Said Rahm: “Getting his first top 10 and third ending is a big problem, a big week.”

Legion XIII has now won two consecutive tournaments and their lead is 46.66 points about Crushers GC. The Rahm team can guarantee themselves that they are top sowing in the team championship with a good result in Chicago.

As far as Niemann is concerned, he is close to completing the most successful regular season by every player in the young history of Liv Golf. Only Rahm or Dephambeau can now catch him for the championship.

“It is clear that I want to win the season,” said Niemann. “I think there is still a lot of wave to play. Jon, we know how good a player he is, including Bryson.

“There is not much that I can think, other than worrying about what I do, how I can improve and get better and play my best wave for the next two weeks.

“I feel that all that is I am worried about now.” (Courtesy Liv Golf)

Final round scores

1. Legion XIII -3 (Rahm 65, Surratt 65, Hatton 70, Mckibbin 70; Rd. 3 Score: -14)

2. Couple GC -27 (Niemann 68, Muñoz 69, Pereira 71, Ortiz 73; Rd. 3 Score: -3)

3. Stinger GC -26 (Burmester 66, Oosthuizen 66, Schwartzel 66, Grace 69; Rd. 3 Score: -17)

T4. Fire balls GC -23 (Ballester 65, Garcia 68, Puig 69, Ancerer 71; Rd. 3 Score: -11)

T4. Crushers GC -23 (Lahiri 64, Decchambeau 69, Casey 71, Howell III 71; Rd. 3 Score: -9)

6. Ripper GC -17 (Smith 67, Herbert 70, Leishman 70, Jones 73; Rd. 3 Score: -4)

T7. CLEEK GC -14 (Kaymer 67, Mix 68, Meronk 69, Kjettrup 75; Rd. 3 Score: -5)

T7. Hyflyers GC -14 (Ogletree 69, Steele 69, Tringale 70, Mickelson 72; Rd. 3 Score: -4)

9. Smash GC -9 (Gooch 66, Kokrak 68, McDowell 70, Koepka 73; Rd. 3 Score: -7)

10. Rangeoats GC -6 (Watson 65, Uihlein 67, Campbell 70, Wolff 71; Rd. 3 Score: -11)

11. 4ACES GC -5 (Reed 66, Varner III 68, Pieters 71, Johnson 75; Rd. 3 Score: -4)

12. Majesticks GC -3 (Horsfield 69, Poulter 72, Stenson 72, Westwood 74; Rd. 3 Score: +3)

13. Iron Heads GC +7 (From 66, 67 January, Kozuma 69, Lee 74; Rd. 3 scoring: -8)

Wild cards: C. Lee 66, Kim 70

Last round statistics

Drive accuracy: Costry Muñoz, old age, 85.71% (12 of

Average driving distance (for measured holes 8 and 10): Joaquin Niemann, 321.1 Yards AVG.

Longest drive (between measured holes 8 and 10): Dustin Johnson, 350.0 meters, 8th hole

Greens in Regulation: Bryson Deschambeau, Sam Horsfield, Kevin Na, 83.33% (15 of 18 Greens)

Clambering: Josele Ballester (6 of 6), Louis Osthuizen (6 of 6), Talor Goach (5 of 5), Caleb Surratt (4 of 4), Yubin JanNG (4 of 4), Kevin Na (3 of 3), 100%

Putting: Jon Rahm, 1.17 puts per hole

Bogey-free rounds: Caleb Suratt (65), Josele Ballester (65), Louis Oosthustuizen (66), Kevin Name (66), Talor Gooch (66), Yubin Jang (67)

Also read: Joaquin Niemann in the row for a title Double at Liv Golf UK

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