Shot Penalty at 2026 U.S. Open
Fried Egg Golf • • sports
Key Points:
- Joaquin Niemann received a two-stroke penalty for breaching player conduct rules after throwing his club in frustration during the U.S. Open, an incident witnessed by a volunteer and reported by The Athletic.
- The penalty, applied after Niemann signed his scorecard, turned a score of nine on No. 6 into an 11, but Niemann responded with a strong second round of 5-under 65, tying for the low round of the day.
- Niemann admitted fault for his behavior but felt the penalty was excessive; meanwhile, members of his team confronted a reporter over her detailed coverage of the incident, though they did not dispute the facts reported.
- Niemann’s team attempted to appeal the ruling, criticizing its discretionary nature, and Niemann was visibly emotional upon learning of the penalty but refocused quickly to continue competing.
- Despite the controversy and a challenging start to the tournament, Niemann remains in contention with two rounds left, aiming to improve his major championship record and move past the incident.
