LIV player Joaquin Niemann using Dubai date to try and secure major spots

Chilean makes no secret of why he’s playing in opening Rolex Series event of 2024

Five of the opening seven events on the 2024 DP World Tour have fallen to LIV Golf players and Australian Open winner Joaquin Niemann is a man on a mission again in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

The Chilean sits 70th in the Official World Golf Ranking and is aiming to use an appearance in this week’s $9 million Rolex Series event to boost his hopes of playing in all four majors this year.

“Yeah, that’s my goal,” admitted Niemann after signing for an opening three-under-par 69 at Emirates Golf Club to sit just outside the top ten on a day when defending champion Rory McIlroy had to settle for a 71 after dropping three shots in his last four holes on the Majlis Course.

Joaquin Niemann of Chile plays his second shot on the 10th hole during round one of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

“As everybody knows, there's no world ranking on LIV and I'm one of a few players that don't have a spot into the majors. I want to play in those four events and I know if I play there, I have a chance to win.”

That certainly isn’t hollow talk from the 25-year-old, who won twice on the PGA Tour before being lured to join the Saudi Arabian-backed breakaway circuit. Having been invited to play in it, he won that Australian Open in a play-off in December and, on the back of that, has taken up DP World Tour membership.

“I’m trying to get into the Masters,” admitted Niemann, who narrowly missed out on securing an invitation through being in the top 50 in the world rankings at the end of the year and now needs to be in that position for the final cut-off in early April for the season’s opening major. “I've got to play pretty good this week and then see what's next.”

Asked how frustrating it was for LIV players to find themselves slipping down the global standings, he replied: “It's not frustrating for me. I obviously took the decision joining LIV and I knew there was going to be no ranking. But I think I deserve to be in the majors. Obviously the world rankings don't show that. But it is what it is, and that's why I'm here.”