Joaquin Niemann Accepts 2-Stroke U.S. Open Penalty After Round of 65
Updated
Updated · golfchannel.com · Jun 19
Joaquin Niemann Accepts 2-Stroke U.S. Open Penalty After Round of 65
3 articles · Updated · golfchannel.com · Jun 19
Summary
Niemann said he was "not proud" of throwing his sand wedge and, after a 10-minute meeting with USGA rules chief Craig Winter, accepted the two-stroke penalty that turned his quintuple-bogey 9 into an 11.
The USGA applied its serious-misconduct rule after Niemann, frustrated by two tee shots out of bounds and a denied fire-ant relief request, kicked a spotter's flag and threw a club about 50 yards.
A 37-minute break between rounds left Niemann in tears, but he regrouped, birdied five of his first six holes and shot 65 to make the weekend at 3 over.
Pete Cowen called the ruling arbitrary, saying other players threw clubs without penalty and that Niemann had no appeal, while the USGA told his team that "not all throws are equal."