More books are being thrown at players who can’t control their temper. At the 2026 US Open, Joaquin Niemann clocked one firmly on the forehead.
Niemann of the LIV Golf League was given two penalty strokes during the first round at Shinnecock Hills for throwing a club on the 6th hole.
In information shared by the USGA on Friday afternoon, this act was determined to be serious misconduct under Rule 1.2b, which was adopted by the USGA in 2019. This rule states that the committee may set its own standards of player conduct in a Code of Conduct adopted as a Local Rule.
The code may include penalties for breach of its standards, such as a one-stroke penalty or the general penalty. The committee can also disqualify a player for serious misconduct in failing to meet the code’s standards.
On the 6th hole on Thursday, Niemann made a staggering score of 11. The Chilean lost two balls off the tee on his way to a 9, with the two penalty shots added on top. He carded an 8-over-par 78.
Gabby Herzig of the Athletic provided a remarkable description on X of what happened after speaking to a volunteer at Shinnecock:
Just talked to a volunteer, Tristan Chang, who witnessed Joaquin Niemann’s club throw that cost him a two-shot penalty:
-After hitting two balls OB, Niemann tried to get free relief from fire ants (to no avail) from where his third drive ended up in the fescue
-Got visibly angry and kicked the white flag that another volunteer used to mark his ball
-Continued to kick around the sand
-Proceeded to chuck his iron from the fescue area approximately 50 yards to the very edge of the course on the right
-Almost did not walk back for the club until a police officer delivered it to him
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“Pretty impressive throw,” Chang said.
This decision to penalise Niemann happened in the midst of the majors deciding to crack down on this type of behaviour by implementing fresh conduct rules this year.
The rules have previously led to disqualification for serious misconduct, as was the case with Sergio Garcia at the Saudi International seven years ago. Now, golf’s governing bodies are looking to impose shot penalties on players who cross the line.
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At the Masters in April, former Augusta champion Garcia was given a warning by an official for smashing his driver so hard against a cooler box that the head came off the shaft.
Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre was also slapped on the wrists for being heard loudly swearing on the broadcast at the Masters, which was accompanied by a sweary hand gesture, too, on his way to making a quadruple-bogey on the 15th hole, and an opening round of 80.
During the PGA Championship in May at Aronimink, the PGA of America’s chief of championships Kerry Haigh revealed the new rules were the product of meetings with Augusta, the R&A, the USGA and also, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour.
“If a player does something egregious then, unfortunately, we would give a warning to that player,” Haigh said. “And if they were to do it again, there would be a two-shot penalty.
“It’s really for the good of the game that we’re implementing it to try and make sure everyone is behaving appropriately, professionally, and as we would want our children and people watching to see at a major championship.”
Ahead of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale next month, R&A boss Mark Darbon also warned that players could face on-course sanctions if they breach the misconduct guidelines.
“I think first and foremost, you want passion,” Darbon said.
“You want passion from players, you want passion from spectators, but there’s a fine line, and one of the amazing things about this sport is the values and integrity that underpin it.
“So we will watch that line very closely. We, like many of the other major events, are looking to implement a new code of conduct policy that will be in place this summer here at Royal Birkdale.
“And it will give us another measure by which to help influence and control that behaviour.”
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