LIV Golf
Halfway Leaderboard: Niemann Runs Wild at Bedminster
Joaquin Niemann has turned Trump National Bedminster into his personal playground, ripping to 13-under after 36 holes to open a commanding five-shot lead at the halfway stage of LIV Golf’s New York event. The Chilean fires a 64 in round one, posting six-under for the day, and the rest of the field are chasing a ghost. Lee Westwood sits second at 8-under, with Sergio Garcia a further shot back at 7-under. This is Niemann’s tournament to lose, and the gap is already substantial with 36 holes remaining.
Our Pre-Tournament Pick
Jon Rahm came into New York as our selection, but the Spanish star is struggling. Sat at level par after two rounds, Rahm has work to do if he’s to trouble the leading pack. He fired rounds of 72 and 71, solid enough but not nearly sharp enough to catch Niemann at this pace. Still in the field, still in contention mathematically, but Rahm needs a dramatic shift in Round 3 to make this interesting from a betting perspective.
Who’s in Contention
Niemann is in a different stratosphere. At 22/1 market odds with a five-shot cushion, he’s the clear favourite, and rightly so. Westwood at 22/1 offers better value as the only realistic challenger, though his 8-under mark suggests he’s got it all to do. Garcia at 20/1 sits three shots further adrift, making him a long shot. McKibbin and Harold Varner III, both at 6-under, occupy the 20/1 bracket but are already eight shots off the pace. The market has priced this correctly: Niemann is the house, and everyone else is queuing at the counter.
Round 3 Betting Angles
Watch for Lucas Herbert here. At 5-under, he’s nine shots back but fired a 66 in round one with an even par today. If he finds form again, he can accumulate ground quickly at Bedminster. The odds at 16/1 reflect genuine upside if he builds momentum. Equally, Westwood at 22/1 cannot afford to drop further shots. He needs a low round to pile pressure on Niemann, and his experience suggests he’s capable of stringing together at least one hot round.
The danger zone belongs to players between 5th and 10th. Richard Bland, Paul Casey, and Scott Vincent are bunched up, but they’re too far back to realistically threaten. Don’t chase them. The narrative is simple: can Niemann maintain his level, or does Westwood go low and stay low? Everything else is noise.
Our Updated Pick
Odds: 0.22/1 – bet365
Five shots clear at halfway with 36 holes to play is the kind of cushion that’s almost impossible to surrender. Niemann’s 13-under total is simply dominant, and while we can’t recommend backing odds-on in normal circumstances, the gap to Westwood is so substantial that capitulation would require complete collapse. If you’re looking for a tournament winner, this is as close to certainty as betting gets.
Top 5 After Round 1
| Pos | Player | R1 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joaquin Niemann | 64 | -13 |
| 2 | Lee Westwood | 69 | -8 |
| 3 | Sergio Garcia | 70 | -7 |
| 4 | Tom McKibbin | 70 | -6 |
| 5 | Harold Varner III | 69 | -6 |
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