Joaquin Niemann had just entered Shinnecock Hills, still looking for his first major win. He missed the cut last year, and his seventh start only got worse. The LIV Golf star had a disastrous sixth hole in Round One, and his frustration boiled over, which only threw his chances to make the cut into more uncertainty. Along with it, the entire fiasco has caused quite a stir among golf community.

“Joaquin Niemann was assessed two penalty strokes for throwing a club on the 6th hole during Round 1,” The USGA confirmed in its statement as it rolled out a new code of conduct policy. “This act was determined to be serious misconduct under Rule 1.2b.”

Starting on the back nine on Thursday, Niemann was on the par-4 sixth hole when things took a wrong turn. He hit two tee shots out of bounds, and the Chilean drove his third tee shot into a native area. His next shot landed on the left side of the fairway, leaving him 131 yards short of the pin. According to The Athletic, Niemann then asked for relief. He argued that fire ants near his ball called for Rule 16.2a, which grants relief to players under dangerous playing conditions. The rules official quashed his argument, which is when Niemann lost it.

According to a volunteer who spoke to The Athletic, Joaquin Niemann kicked the flag that marked his ball and then tomahawked his club at least 50 yards. He finished the hole with a quintuple bogey nine. However, the USGA later reviewed the situation and decided that his behavior amounted to a serious breach of its newly introduced Code of Conduct policy. On Friday morning, the USGA hit him with a two-stroke penalty. What had already been a nine on the scorecard became an 11. While no video of the incident was made available, the governing body issued a formal statement to clarify all doubts.

The USGA further clarified its ruling. “If a player’s behavior is so far removed from what is expected in the spirit of the game of golf, in accordance with Rule 1.2b, the Chief Referee, in consultation with the Championship Directorate, may apply a penalty of two strokes or disqualification, taking account of frequency, impact, intent, and severity of misconduct.”

With that, Niemann became the first golfer to face such a punishment, despite several other pros having thrown their clubs in the past. That has prompted some fans to question the USGA’s decision. However, it should be noted that the Masters and the PGA Championship also introduced the same policy only this year.

Sergio Garcia was the first player to receive a code-of-conduct warning in April after damaging the tee box at Augusta National. He wasn’t assessed a penalty. To add to the controversy, the USGA misspelled Niemann’s name in their official statement. This has again created a stir on social media, with the USGA facing some backlash.

Some fans called out the USGA on the ruling, but is the USGA really to blame?

One fan commented, “Did he throw the club at somebody? I’ve seen some tantrum club throws from some of the best players in the world, and I don’t ever remember anybody getting a two-shot penalty!”

Another fan made a direct comparison, “But Rory gets a permanent pass? Let’s hope that douche bag Wyndham Clark doesn’t rip up the locker this year.”

One more fan added, “Rory launched a club at Oakmont last year. Why was this not penalized, @USGA?”

Some pointed out that at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, Rory McIlroy threw his club after pulling his approach into the rough. He was on the par-5 12th, and he later smashed a tee marker on the 17th hole as well. But at that time, the USGA didn’t have a formal policy to punish players for misconduct. It is quite plausible that multiple incidents of players throwing their clubs have forced Augusta National, the USGA, and the PGA of America to bring in the new policy.

Regardless, many on the Internet interpreted the punishment as bias toward a LIV Golf pro.

One fan called out, “Too bad his name isn’t McIlroy or Spieth.”

Notably, Andrew Coltart, a former PGA Tour pro turned broadcaster, backed the USGA’s decision. While he admitted that he has also lost his cool, Coltart explained the need to introduce a harsh rule.

“I have done mistakes like that in the past, but if they don’t clamp down on it you embolden that type of display and it does not do anybody any good. I think it’s quite right,” Coltart said on Sky Sports broadcast.

Notably, in April, R&A CEO Mark Darbon confirmed that a code of conduct is likely to be introduced at The Open this year. The decision comes after golf’s governing bodies raised concerns about elite players displaying such behavior on the course. So while the USGA is facing flak, fans can expect more pros to face consequences if they breach the new code of conduct.