World Number One Amateur Joaquin Niemann Turns Pro

The 19-year-old makes his pro debut this week

World Number One Amateur Joaquin Niemann Turns Pro
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The 19-year-old Chilean has turned professional and will make his pro debut in Texas this week

World Number One Amateur Joaquin Niemann Turns Pro

Former world number one amateur Joaquin Niemann has turned professional and will make his pro debut this week at TPC San Antonio in the Valero Texas Open.

Niemann won a number of high profile events in his amateur career, including six professional tournaments in South America, with his most significant victory coming at the 2018 Latin America Amateur Championship.

The 19-year-old also won the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley which propelled him to the number one spot in theWorld Amateur Golf Ranking. He held it from May 2017 right up until turning pro.

His LAAC win qualified him for The Masters where he missed the cut after playing with Fred Couples and Hao Tong Li for the first two days. He finished at +9 after rounds of 76 and 77.

Niemann plays a practice round at Augusta with past Masters champions Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal

That wasn't his first major though, he also teed it up in last year's US Open at Erin Hills after coming through qualifying in Florida.

After Erin Hills and Augusta, this will be the teenager's fourth PGA Tour start having finished an impressive T29th at last year's Greenbrier Classic.

Niemann won seven times last year including three professional wins. He has already won a professional tournament this year.

Expand Valero Texas Open Preview, TV Times

Andrew Landry defends Valero Texas Open

Valero Texas Open Preview, TV Times

Andrew Landry is the defending champion at TPC…

Expand Valero Texas Open Golf Betting Tips

Luke List Valero Texas Open Golf Betting Tips

Valero Texas Open Golf Betting Tips

The PGA Tour are in Texas this week,…

Expand Trophee Hassan II Leaderboard, Preview, TV Times

Trophee Hassan II at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam

Trophee Hassan II Leaderboard, Preview, TV Times

Edoardo Molinari defends at Royal Golf Dar Es…

Expand Trophee Hassan II Golf Betting Tips

Alexander Levy Trophee Hassan II Golf Betting Tips

Trophee Hassan II Golf Betting Tips

Who will do well this week in beautiful…

The Chilean won the Mark H. McCormack Medal for finishing the 2017 amateur season as the world number one, which qualified him for this year's US Open at Shinnecock Hills and The Open at Carnoustie.

Turning professional means he has relinquished his spot in both these majors.

He has a sponsors invite to this week's Valero Texas Open as well as the Wells Fargo Championship, AT&T Byron Nelson and the Memorial Tournament. He also has some starts on the Web.com Tour.

Teeing off at the US Open at Erin Hills last year. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Niemann follows the likes of Jon Rahm, Maverick McNealy, Ollie Schneiderjans, Matt Fitzpatrick and Patrick Cantlay as previous Mark H. McCormack Medal winners to turn pro.

The 19-year-old has already netted some lucrative deals, having signed with Adidas and Ping.

Niemann previously used Ping equipment as an amateur and turns pro using the G400 LST driver, a G400 fairway and hybrids, iBlade irons, Glide 2.0 wedges and an Anser putter.

Make sure you follow Golf Monthly on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest news

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV