Niemann eagles in playoff to win Australian Open title

Joaquin Niemann closed in 5-under 66 and then took down Rikuya Hoshino in a playoff with a clutch eagle to win the ISPS Handa Australian Open on Sunday in Sydney.

The victory marks the 25-year-old Niemann’s first worldwide title since he joined LIV Golf two summers ago. The Chilean star owned two PGA Tour wins and seven Chilean Tour victories prior to Sunday’s triumph at The Australian Golf Club. He now is the first South American winner of the Stonehaven Cup.

Niemann also becomes the second current LIV member to win on the DP World Tour in as many weeks, following Dean Burmester, the winner of last week’s Joburg Open.

While 54-hole leader Min Woo Lee, who was trying to complete the Aussie double after capturing the Australian PGA last week, backed up with a 1-over 72, Niemann carded five of his six birdies on the back nine to reach 14 under with Japan’s Hoshino, who closed with 70. In the playoff, Niemann drained a 7-foot eagle putt on the second extra hole to close out Hoshino as rain was starting to fall.

“It was a nice day,” Niemann told reporters. “These last two playoff holes showed how I have been playing the last few weeks here in Australia. My putting hasn’t been the best, but I’ve been working hard on it, and it was nice to make that last putt. I always practice those 3-, 4-, 5-feet ones and know that one of those will be to win a tournament.”

South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai edged Aussie Minjee Lee by a shot to successfully defend her women’s title.