Golfer Joaquin Niemann Hit with Major Penalty After Club-Tossing Meltdown at U.S. Open

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Joaquin Niemann on day three of LIV Golf Andalucia on June 6 (stock image).
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NEED TO KNOW​

• Joaquin Niemann received a two-stroke penalty for "serious misconduct" after throwing his club during the U.S. Open
• The Rules of Golf rule 1.2b states that players are "expected to play in the spirit of the game by acting with integrity, showing consideration to others and taking good care of the course"
• Niemann, ranked 80th globally, finished the first round with an 8-over-78 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club

Joaquin Niemann has received a heavy penalty at the 2026 U.S. Open.

The Chilean golfer, 27, was dealt a two-stroke penalty on Friday, June 19, for his opening round of the tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club after he grew emotional and threw his club onto the ground at the Southhampton, N.Y., course.

Niemann's outburst came after his approach shot fell short. A volunteer for the U.S. Open told The Athletic that the golfer requested relief from fire ants, which were gathering near his ball, and when he was denied, he threw his club at least 50 yards.

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Joaquin Nieman practicing ahead of the U.S. Open on June 17.
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The U.S. Golf Association determined Niemann's "serious misconduct" was in violation of Rule 1.2b of the Rules of Golf. Per the rule, "Players are expected to play in the spirit of the game by acting with integrity, showing consideration to others and taking good care of the course."

“'Serious misconduct' is player behavior that is so far removed from what is expected in golf that the most severe sanction of removing a player from the competition is justified," the rule reads.

Though disqualification or removal from the tournament are listed as acceptable punishment for serious misconduct, the U.S. Open committee instead opted for the two-stroke penalty, which requires a player to add two shots to their total score for that hole.

The penalty compounded Niemann's bad luck at the sixth hole, as he sent two balls out of bounds before the incident. Niemann finished the par-4 hole with a quintuple bogey 9, but after the penalty, it shifted to a septuple bogey (11), per PGA.

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Though this rule has always been a part of the Rules of Golf, golf organizations have begun to implement tangible consequences for any breaches in recent years. At the 2026 Masters in April, Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia was issued a warning after bashing his club into the ground and swinging at a nearby table in response to a bad drive in the final round.

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Joaquin Niemann at the U.S. Open on June 18.
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Overall, Niemann — ranked 80th in the Official World Golf Ranking — posted an 8-over-78 in the first round, and was already beginning the second when the two-stroke penalty was announced. He finished the second day of play with a 5-under 65.

The U.S. Open will conclude on Sunday, June 21.

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