Chilean star Joaquin Niemann is delighted to have been invited to play in the Masters at Augusta National this year and feels he can contend to win a green jacket.
Niemann alongside Ryo Hisatsune and Thorbjorn Olesen received invites for the tournament in April and it will be his fifth Masters appearance.
The 25-year-old has been in excellent form, shooting a course-record 12-under 59 at Mayakoba’s El Camaleon – the second sub-60 round shot in LIV Golf history. He eventually beat Sergio Garcia on the fourth playoff hole to win.
The victory was Niemann’s eleventh since turning professional and he had been determined to qualify for the Masters via the OWGR top-50 and he had come close with December’s Australian Open win moving him to 59th place.
The world number 81 is in contention to win at the International Series Oman this week and he feels his game is trending nicely ahead of the Masters.
“It’s exciting, I was trying to chase that invite so it is nice that they called me,” Niemann said.
“I am super excited with that news. I obviously love that course at Augusta National and it is one of those courses you must be hitting it well off the tee and hitting it long. If I keep driving it well, I think it is going to serve me well and I’m looking forward to that week.”
The average first time winner of the Masters has made 6.8 appearances at Augusta. Niemann is approaching that number and has cause for optimism ahead of driving down Magnolia Lane.
In the last three tournaments he has finished T40, T35 and T16.
“I’m looking forward for all those next three weeks, they will all give me good preparation for what’s coming next. I like my chances and I want to play well. Obviously, I can’t say what’s going to happen, I have to go out there and grind it.”
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