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.
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.
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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.
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.
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