Niemann penalized for throwing club in U.S. Open
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Joaquín Niemann threw his club at least 50 yards on the par-4 sixth hole at Shinnecock Hills, prompting the USGA to dock him a two-stroke penalty for "serious misconduct" under Rule 1.2b and turning his quintuple-bogey 9 into an 11.
- Niemann said he had asked a USGA official about fire ants near his ball before the outburst, was told they weren't fire ants, then kicked a flag marking his ball in high native grass before hurling his club.
- Despite posting an 8-over 78 in the first round, Niemann regrouped to shoot a 5-under 65 in the second round, leaving him on the cut line at 3 over.
- The USGA said Rule 1.2b permits tournament committees to penalize player behavior from a single stroke to total disqualification depending on severity, and Niemann was the first golfer disciplined under the code-of-conduct policy in a major this season.
- At April's Masters, Sergio García received only a code-of-conduct warning (not a penalty) for breaking his driver on a cooler during the final round at Augusta National.
- Niemann was informed of the two-stroke penalty after signing his scorecard and had 37 minutes to prepare for his second round.
Why it matters: The USGA's enforcement of Rule 1.2b against Niemann marks the first code-of-conduct penalty — not just a warning — in a major this season, signaling that tournament officials are willing to add strokes for club-throwing. Players ranked outside the top tier, like Niemann at No. 80, now face additional stroke costs for emotional outbursts in the game's biggest events.
