For Niemann, it’s 71 solid holes, one thrown club and a return trip for next year’s US Open

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — The U.S. Open summary for Joaquin Niemann looks like this: 71 holes of solid golf, one really bad one, a thrown club, a two-shot penalty and the willpower to not spend too much time wondering about what might have been.

“If my grandmother had tires, she’d be a car,” Niemann said Sunday, not wanting to speculate much after wrapping up a tournament sullied by an opening-round 11 on the par-4 sixth hole that featured two tee shots out of bounds and two penalty strokes for hurling his club in frustration.

Niemann shot 4-under 66 in the final round to finish at 1-over 281. It doesn’t take heavy math to imagine the possibilities had he not shot 7-over par on one hole.

Maybe more importantly, his 281 put him in a tie for seventh, which means he’ll get an invitation to next year’s U.S. Open, at Pebble Beach, that goes to everyone in the top 10.

Niemann’s 66 paired with a 65 he shot in the second round, shortly after learning his 9 on No. 6 had been bumped up two shots for violating the code of conduct. It meant the only person to shoot a lower round than Niemann over four days at Shinnecock was Wyndham Clark, the winner, who opened the week with a 64. Of course, with that 11, Neimann also recorded the single worst one-hole score over the four rounds.

“A good experience, a good test for myself,” Niemann said. ...