Joaquin Niemann takes early lead at the Amgen Irish Open

Joaquin Niemann holds the early lead at the Amgen Irish Open following a first-round 65 on Thursday. Playing at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, Ireland, Niemann countered a bogey on the 13th hole with four consecutive birdies to pull ahead of the early field. The Chilean golfer enters the tournament while managing career uncertainty and competing in a professional circuit that includes his recent LIV Golf activity. Niemann, who finished third in the individual LIV Golf standings this season, currently sits at No. 42 in the Official World Golf Ranking. He noted the challenge of managing wind and rain conditions throughout his round, emphasizing the difficulty of hitting shots into the coastal gusts. The tournament continues as Niemann attempts to maintain his position at the top of the leaderboard.

• 7:30 PMYahoo Sports — LIV Golf star surges to lead at the Irish Open