LIV Golf’s Joaquin Niemann Refuses to Answer Question About Firing Caddie After Majors Ended

“I was wrong,” Phil Mickelson tried to amend his words after a terrible prediction ahead of the 2025 season. Earlier this year, Mickelson made waves on the internet when he shared a controversial take on Scottie Scheffler. He didn’t shy away from comparing another LIV Golf Pro with the star of the PGA Tour. “Top 5? Try #1.” That’s how he responded when asked how the LIV Golf Pro stacked against Scheffler. Classic Mickelson.

But it wasn’t long until the words started to feel a little too premature. As the form started to slip away, the LIV Golf Pro in question left more questions than answers following a pre-tournament press conference. So what exactly did he say?

Niemann’s Team Shake-Up Raises Questions

After a depressive string of missed cuts, Joaquin Niemann started making headlines as Scheffler comparisons went through the roof. Mickelson’s remark earlier that year added tension to the divide between the two worlds of golf. Without doubt, Niemann felt the pressure too, as he was placed on top with expectations chiming in.

Joaquín Niemann parted ways with both his caddie, Gary Matthews, and longtime swing coach, Eduardo Miquel, in late July 2025 after a disappointing missed cut at The Open Championship. The changes marked a major shift for the Chilean, who had credited both Matthews and Miquel during earlier stages of his career. This shift clearly brought a change. Right after, Niemann secured a jaw-dropping win at LIV Golf UK, placing his worth even higher than Scheffler’s.

In their place, Niemann brought on close friend and fellow Chilean pro Diego Salinas as his new caddie—a move that raised eyebrows given Salinas’ limited experience on the bag. While Niemann has since been spotted working with different swing coaches, no long-term coaching arrangement has been confirmed, leaving uncertainty around how he plans to rebuild his support team.

However, the real question remains. Was the change merely an attempt at changing the variables? Or was there something deeper? The LIV Golf Pro who will be taking the greens at Chicago ahead into this week, spoke up regarding his recent shifts and lessons in his game. That was when the interviewer addressed the elephant in the room. The interviewer spoke with the curiosity of fans when he asked, “You recently changed your coach and caddie. Was there anything specific you were looking for with that change?” However, Niemann refused to address the question, clearly indicating that something was wrong.

Instead, Joaquin Niemann closed off the topic rather coldly. “I don’t know, those are tough questions. I just felt like — I don’t know 100 percent if I really want to talk about it. Thank you.” Joaquín Niemann’s brief, guarded reply says more than it lets on. His quick deflection and polite shutdown suggest the changes weren’t just routine. After missing the cut at The Open, it hints at frustration or deeper issues behind the scenes. For someone fresh off a LIV Golf UK win, the contrast is hard to miss.

While Niemann may not be ready to share the full story, the timing of the split speaks louder than words.

Mickelson walks back bold call after Scheffler-Niemann comparisons fall flat

Joaquin Niemann was the rising star of not just LIV Golf but the entire golfing world back when the 2025 season had started. However, things started falling apart as the season gained momentum. What started as a miserable beginning to the season, Scheffler quickly shifted the sands. While he was outside the top 100 in terms of putting in the first few months, Scheffler went on a tear, proving exactly why he reigns as the World No. 1. He hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in ten starts. He’s won the CJ Cup, the PGA Championship, and the Memorial. He leads the Tour in scoring average (68.45) and strokes gained tee-to-green (2.64). Even his off weeks, like at the U.S. Open, saw just two over-par rounds.

This is where Phil Mickelson’s predictions start to fall off. The LIV Golf veteran began the year with a simple yet provocative post on X: “Here’s a hot take. Does Scottie win in 2025 before the Ryder Cup? I don’t think so.” Mickelson’s remarks, although raising eyebrows, certainly didn’t feel far from reality at that time. Back then, Scheffler hadn’t won on the PGA Tour in 2025, and his putting ranked outside the top 100. Meanwhile, Joaquin Niemann was riding high with a LIV Golf win and a top-three finish in Dubai. Mickelson didn’t flinch calling Niemann “#1” when comparisons to Scheffler came up.

However, as the evidence became clearer, even LIV’s loudest voice had to take back his words. Mickelson agreed on Scheffler’s dominance on the course, stating him to be “Clearly #1 in the world” following his PGA win. He also didn’t shy away from acknowledging his mistake, making a public apology, and taking to his X.

For Niemann, the silence around his split with his caddie now echoes louder, especially as the results that once justified the noise have started to fade.