What a finish by Joaquin Niemann and Tyrrell Hatton at the 2026 U.S. Open! The two LIV stars not only secured a top-10 finish but also directly earned their spot for Pebble Beach next year. Both – Niemann and Hatton – finished the 126th U.S. Open in a tie for 7th at 1-over par.
A week full of rollercoasters for Niemann, leading from maximum drama to true redemption, while Hatton impressed with his usual solid performance. As is well known, anyone who finishes in the top 10 at the U.S. Open receives an exemption for the following year. This means Niemann and Hatton will definitely be teeing it up at Pebble Beach in 2027.
Rollercoaster of Emotions
Niemann's week was the stuff golf legends are made of – at least in terms of drama. After an opening round of 78, which included a disastrous 11 on the par-4 sixth hole, two out-of-bounds tee shots, and a two-stroke penalty for throwing a club, all seemed lost. But then the man delivered one of the tournament's most impressive rounds: a 5-under-par 65 in round two, with five birdies on the first six holes. A true comeback that no one would have expected!
Between Regret and Ambition
“I played really well,” Niemann summarized his week. “I feel like my game has been really strong lately. We have a great team around us, and we’re working towards our goal: to win out here. We’re getting closer and closer.” He was self-critical regarding the club throw: “I’m not happy about doing that, and I’m not proud of it. I probably deserved it, somehow. But there’s nothing I can change. I learned from it.” An important step, because such lapses might end up costing more than just two strokes. A top-4 finish would have even earned him a Masters spot for 2027 – Niemann narrowly missed that. Nevertheless: a week to remember!
