Andalucia Recap: Torque finish in style at Valderrama to extend 2024 record of consistency
SOTOGRANDE, Spain – Torque GC finished with a flourish at LIV Golf Andalucía on Sunday, producing their best scoring effort of the week to clinch a tie for fourth place in the team standings.
Despite sitting precariously in joint 10th spot overnight, the Spanish-speaking combination gelled superbly in the final round as they collectively posted a 6-under total at Real Club Valderrama.
Captain Joaquin Niemann, Carlos Ortiz and Sebastián Muñoz each closed with 2-under 69s on the challenging layout while Mito Pereira signed off with a 71 for a combined 6-under aggregate.
It was the 10th time in 10 LIV Golf events this season that Torque have finished in the top six, though they are still looking for their first team victory this year.
According to Niemann, who has already claimed two individual titles in 2024 and been LIV Golf's standout player, the one thing that his team needs to taste success is a sufficient dose of good fortune.
"The team is obviously feeling pretty good and we have been playing well," said the Chilean professional, who clinched the season-opening LIV Golf Mayakoba in a playoff before winning in Jeddah by four strokes just two tournaments later.
"Last year, we had four wins, and the team played amazing. I didn't play my best but we still managed to get four wins. But now we are moving close. And I really like this new Sunday format with the four scorecards because, for our team, it gives us a better chance."
With just three LIV Golf events remaining in the 2024 regular season, Torque are positioned third in the overall team standings - behind second-placed Legion XIII GC and the pacesetting Crushers GC.
Torque’s record of consistency this year has been mightily impressive, with finishes of 3rd, 6th, 4th, 2nd, T-4, 4th, T-6, T-4, 3rd and T-4 in their 10 outings.
Fresh from third place in Nashville in their previous start, the Spanish-speaking combination had to dig deep in the opening round at Valderrama as winds gusted up to 20 mph.
Ortiz ground out a 1-over 72 that included an eagle at the par-5 11th, a double at the par-4 10th, two birdies and three bogeys. Pereira weighed in with a 73 and Muñoz a 74 as Torque ended the day in a tie for sixth with a 6-over counting total.
Niemann, who had struggled to a 74 in the opening round, caught fire on day two after making a stuttering start in his first seven holes. A double-bogey at the par-3 12th left him at 3 over for the day before he birdied the 15th, 16th and 17th, parred the 18th, holed out for eagle at the par-4 first, and then birdied the second en route to a 3-under 68 that lifted him into a tie for 11th.
However, Niemann did not receive commensurate support in the second round from his team mates. Ortiz and Muñoz both battled to 74s as Torque tumbled back into a tie for 10th in the team standings.
But Sunday's final round proved to be very different as all four Torque players played well. All that is now required going forward is that all four fare even better on the last day for the quartet to finally taste team victory this season.