NASHVILLE RECAP: TORQUE FINISH 3RD; RED-HOT NIEMANN T-3
COLLEGE GROVE, Tenn. – It was once again a case of so-close-but-so far for Torque GC at LIV Golf Nashville on Sunday as the Spanish-speaking combination secured another podium finish this year without managing to clinch the very top spot.
With captain Joaquin Niemann leading the way, Torque ended up third in the team standings with a 34-under aggregate - just one shot behind Crushers GC and four strokes behind the triumphant Legion XIII.
It was Torque's third podium spot of the season, and it extended a remarkably consistent run which has yielded finishes of 3rd, 6th, 4th, 2nd, T-4, 4th, T-6, T-4 and 3rd in their nine LIV Golf starts.
"I do feel like we have a talented team, and it's just a question of putting the pieces together," said Colombian Sebastián Muñoz, who closed with a sparkling bogey-free 65 at The Grove to clinch seventh place in the individual standings. "We haven't had the wins, but we have had a lot of good finishes. It's just waiting for that week when we can all kind of put it together and start rolling.
"I felt like slowly but surely we're finding our form. We're getting closer for that first team win of the year, which is something that we definitely have in our objectives for this year."
Niemann, the hottest player in Sunday's final round as he fired a 9-under 62 to vault into a tie for third, believes his team is very close to the form they produced last year when they claimed a league-best four wins.
"We are four players who are some of the best in the world, and we're trying to prove that every day," said the Chilean professional, who piled up 10 birdies in the final round at The Grove. "We just need to let things happen, and start seeing those wins as a team."
Torque produced the lowest aggregate score of all 13 teams in Sunday's final round with a 16-under effort. Apart from Niemann's 62 and the 6-under 65 returned by Muñoz, Carlos Ortiz shot a 69 and Mito Pereira carded a 72.
It was not quite good enough to earn them the team title, but it was sufficient to secure a podium spot.
"I think we have more in us," said Pereira. "We showed it last year, and we're really aiming for that first spot this year. We are building. Every week, we're trying to give our best and trying to be the best version that we can be."
Torque produced consistently good golf on each of the three days at LIV Golf Nashville. Muñoz led the way with an opening 67 that included an eagle at the par-4 fourth as Torque ended day one in third place in the team standings. While Muñoz birdied two of his last four hole to get to 4-under, Ortiz fired a 68 and Pereira a 69 to give their team a strong start to the week.
Ortiz was their best player in the second round, reeling off five birdies in a six-hole stretch to card a 66 and climb into a share of fifth place in the individual standings at 8-under. Pereira weighed in with a second consecutive 69 and Muñoz returned a 70 to leave the Spanish-speaking combination in fourth spot heading into the final round.
Niemann then caught fire on day three, racking up five birdies in his first seven holes on the way to a sizzling 9-under 62. His team mates gave him ample support as Torque GC clinched its third podium finish of the year.
"We are feeling pretty good as a team," said Niemann. "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. I feel like we are doing everything pretty good. It's just a matter of time and a little luck."