Niemann settles for solo third at Italian Open

Niemann finishes – Joaquin Niemann entered the final day of the Italian Open with a two-shot lead, but a volatile weekend and a surge from Eugenio Chacarra left him with a solo-third finish. The Torque GC captain still closed strongly with a 3-under 68 and carried real momentum

Joaquin Niemann walked into Sunday knowing he was close—close enough to feel the trophy might land in his hands. He had started the week with a two-shot cushion, and for a while, it looked like the Italian Open at Circolo Golf Torino might finally swing his way.

But by the time the last holes fell into place, the story of Niemann’s weekend had already written itself: up-and-down play in the final two rounds, and a hard-charging Eugenio Chacarra who refused to blink.

Niemann capped his tournament with a final-round 3-under 68 to finish solo third. Chacarra won the event by five shots over second-place Matt Wallace and six shots over Niemann. The result left Niemann short of hoisting the trophy. yet it also capped a strong week on the DP World Tour—one that continued an impressive month for the Torque GC captain.

He began June with a run that showed up again at the U.S. Open, where he finished T7—the best major finish of his career. That top-10 showing earned him an exemption into the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Still. the Italian Open itself wouldn’t let Niemann escape the feeling of “almost.” Entering the weekend. he held a two-shot lead. But the final stretch tightened the field and exposed how quickly momentum can flip. In the closing rounds, Niemann’s score didn’t match the steady control he showed earlier in the week.

On Saturday, conditions proved tougher than the first two days, and Niemann’s round reflected that push-and-pull: he made six birdies but also suffered six bogeys. He started fast with a 32 on the front nine and then finished with a 39 on the back.

Legion XIII’s Tom McKibbin played his part in the week’s shifting leaderboard. He finished T25 after a final-round 1-under 70. Ripper GC’s Elvis Smylie closed in strong fashion. firing a 5-under 66 on Sunday to jump up the leaderboard to place T41. Fireballs GC’s David Puig also ended his tournament with a 3-under 68 to finish T48.

KPGA CLASSIC

While the DP World Tour wrapped up its Italian Open story in Italy, two LIV Golf players were in action at the KPGA Classic at Cypress Golf & Resort in North Gyeongsang, South Korea. Korean Golf Club’s Minkyu Kim finished T14. His teammate Doyeob Mun finished T32.

The week’s earlier movements there had been equally noticeable. Through three rounds, Minkyu Kim was 8 under, T9, and six shots off the lead entering the final round, while Doyeob Mun was 3 under through three rounds, T31, and 11 shots off the lead.

For a day, the KPGA Classic also carried its own chase dynamic: through two rounds, Minkyu Kim was 6 under, tied for 7th and two shots off the lead, while Doyeob Mun was 3 under through two rounds, tied for 23rd and five shots off the lead.

Even before Sunday, the Italian Open had been building toward a familiar tension—who can hold the lead when the course tightens and the field starts charging. Niemann’s June form suggested he could handle it. His finishing position suggested how close he came to making it happen.

He didn’t win the Italian Open this time, but the week added another chapter to a month that has already included a breakthrough at a major, and a direct path to 2027 at Pebble Beach.

Joaquin Niemann Italian Open DP World Tour Eugenio Chacarra Matt Wallace Torque GC Tom McKibbin Elvis Smylie David Puig KPGA Classic Minkyu Kim Doyeob Mun