SINGAPORE RECAP: FAST-FINISHING TORQUE PAY PRICE FOR MEDIOCRE SECOND ROUND
SINGAPORE – A mediocre second round cost Torque GC dearly as the Spanish-speaking combination had to settle for a share of sixth place at LIV Golf Singapore on Sunday despite making a red-hot finish.
Torque posted the lowest aggregate score in the final round with a 12-under total, but their Achilles' heel came on Saturday when they could muster only a collective 4-under on The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club.
Captain Joaquin Niemann was their best player on day two, carding a 2-under 69, while both Sebastián Muñoz and Mito Pereira weighed in with 70s as Torque slipped from sixth place overnight into a tie for eighth.
All this after Colombian Muñoz had set the pace for his team on day one with a sizzling 6-under 65 - his best round of the 2024 season.
"It was a good round, a solid round," said Muñoz. "I gave myself plenty of birdie chances. Hit it pretty close, made the putts. Just a couple of short misses but I'm really happy where the game is right now and kind of trending."
Just one week earlier, Muñoz had suffered a "little low point" when he struggled to a 1-over 72 in the opening round of LIV Golf Adelaide where he ran up five bogeys in his last 10 holes.
"That first round kind of hit me hard," he said. "My teammates played really good, and I kind of played poorly towards the end. But I got a little rhythm the next two rounds and now I'm here with a better round. I'm definitely learning what was the issue, and I feel like I'm addressing it the proper way."
Muñoz was especially grateful for the helpful support he received from his team mates.
"We all came together and we kind of had a deep talk," he said. "We focused on where I was looking at the issue. Just having good solid teammates can help you a lot."
Muñoz held a one-shot lead after the opening round at Sentosa Golf Club but he steadily slipped down the leaderboard over the next two rounds as he carded scores of 70 and 71, ending up in a tie for 19th at 7-under.
Niemann, by some distance the standout player in the LIV Golf League this season, finished as Torque's best performer in Singapore - seventh place at 10-under after shooting scores of 67, 69 and 67. Ortiz wound up joint 19th at 7-under, after returning a sparkling 64, and Pereira tied for 47th place at 3-over, after signing off with a 70.
Torque's aggregate score of 12-under in the final round was the best on Sunday - next best was the 10-under total posted by the Rippers who clinched the team title - but their collective performance on Saturday had left them with too much ground to make up on the leaders.
Nonetheless, Torque GC can still reflect on a hugely successful 2024 season. Niemann has been LIV Golf's hottest player with two victories in seven starts and he leads the individual standings by a significant margin. Ortiz occupies 23rd spot, Muñoz sits 27th and Pereira is ranked 32nd.
Collectively, Torque have been the most consistent team in the league, having finished third, sixth, fourth, second, tied for fourth, fourth and joint sixth in their seven LIV Golf starts. Their only frustration has been their failure - so far - to taste collective success, despite a string of close calls.
"The team is obviously feeling pretty good," said Niemann. "Last year, we had four wins, and the team played amazing. Now we are moving close. I feel like we are doing everything pretty good and we have been giving ourselves some chances on the Sunday. It's just a matter of time and a little luck."