Back in 1962 Jack Nicklaus picked up his first check on the PGA Tour at the L.A. Open.
He finished 50th and earned $33.33.
Amateur sensation Joaquin Niemann made his professional debut at the Valero Texas Open and his check was simply massive compared to Jack’s.
Niemann, who became the world’s top-ranked amateur in his play-for-free days, shot rounds of 72-70-67 then put together a second 67 for Sunday’s finale at the TPC San Antonio and finished solo fifth. That finish earned him a whopping $248,000.
Almost as important, that finish earned him a free pass into one of the tour’s best events — the Wells Fargo in two weeks at Quail Hollow. Normally that free pass would come at the next tour event but Niemann got lucky. Next week is the team event in New Orleans so he goes into the next individual tournament — the Wells Fargo.
Niemann got into the Valero on a sponsor’s exemption and turned a lot of heads with his first performance as a pro.
“It was really nice to be near the top of the leaderboard,” said the 19-year-old from Chile. “Before this week, my putter wasn’t good enough. This week it was.”
Niemann beat a lot of good players over the four days, including world’s No. 10 Sergio Garcia. Garcia didn’t even make the 36-hole cut and went driver-hunting on Friday after he hit a bad tee shot and flung the evil instrument into a thicket of bushes. He eventually retrieved it.
The last two rounds saw Niemann make 13 birdies and only three bogeys.
On Sunday, he climbed into that fifth place finish with birdies over the final three holes.
Good news is he won’t have to use a sponsor’s exemption for Quail Hollow. More good news is that leaves him six as he attempts to play his way onto the PGA Tour.
