LOS ANGELES – Joaquin Niemann’s reward for two days of strong play at the U.S. Amateur was an opening match against Braden Thornberry.
In what may have been his final event as an amateur, Niemann took the NCAA individual champion to the final hole before falling, 2 down, in the Round of 64 at Riviera.
Niemann earned the sixth seed in qualifying but faced off in the first round against Thornberry, who needed to survive a 13-for-8 playoff Wednesday morning.
Ranked No. 1 in the world, Niemann, 18, had signed to play college golf at the University of South Florida but now seems unlikely to ever set foot on a college campus.