SINGAPORE PREVIEW: TORQUE EYES ELUSIVE TEAM TITLE AFTER SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS

SENTOSA ISLAND, Singapore – While Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann has already won twice this season and been LIV Golf's standout player, his team has yet to taste collective success despite a string of close calls.

As they now focus on this week's LIV Golf Singapore at Sentosa Golf Club, Torque can reflect on the most consistent run of any team in the league - having finished third, sixth, fourth, second, tied for fourth and fourth in their six LIV Golf starts.

"The team is obviously feeling pretty good," Chilean professional Niemann said ahead of Friday's opening round on The Serapong. "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."

The LIV Golf League introduced a new policy this season whereby all four scores count in the final round.

"We have been giving ourselves some chances on the Sunday, which is good," added Niemann. "It's just a matter of time and a little luck."

Last week in Adelaide, that element of "little luck" ultimately eluded Torque GC. A final round which began with great promise ended in collective disappointment as the Spanish-speaking combination had to settle for fourth place in the team standings.

Heading into the last day at The Grange Golf Club, they held a one-stroke lead over HyFlyers GC and Iron Heads GC and the early running in the final round initially favored Torque.

Niemann made a strong start with a birdie on his second hole - the par-4 fourth - followed by four consecutive birdies from the par-5 seventh. Mito Pereira rebounded from two bogeys in his first three holes with birdies at the fourth and seventh. He then picked up further shots at the 10th, 12th and 13th to get to 3-under for the round.

Sebastián Muñoz birdied three of his first eight holes before bogeying the par-4 first. However, he picked up further shots at the second and fifth to get to 4-under for the day. Torque were flourishing.

From that point on, however, their fortunes waned as those of Ripper GC and Stinger GC waxed. While the Rippers and Stingers ended the round with matching 53-under totals to force a playoff, Torque GC fell backwards and wound up in fourth place at 48-under.

"I feel like we are doing everything pretty good," said Niemann, who birdied two of his last three holes on Sunday for a 66 and a five-way tie for third at 16-under. "We just need a little bit of luck."

Niemann has unquestionably been the hottest player in the LIV Golf League this season. He clinched the season-opening LIV Golf Mayakoba in a playoff after firing a spectacular 12-under 59 in the opening round, shared 30th place in Las Vegas, won in Jeddah by four strokes, tied for fourth in Hong Kong, wound up joint ninth in Miami and ended up in a five-way tie for third in Adelaide.

"My driver has been pretty good this year - it's the best I have seen it," said Niemann. "My putting has also improved a lot too - I am now getting to see the ball going into the hole more often and that is helping me to see some good results."

Niemann has seen great results from an individual perspective this season. He is now more than ready to see great results for the team as a whole - perhaps starting this week in Singapore.