Niemann slams two-shot penalty for club-throwing at U.S. Open

At the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, Joaquin Niemann was assessed a two-stroke penalty for serious misconduct after throwing his sand wedge in frustration following a misplayed shot; he said he wasn’t proud of the act and argued the penalty was excessive, while his team contested the local-rule application. Niemann rebounded with a 65 in Round 2 and stood at three over entering Saturday, as the ruling sparked ongoing debate about consistency in enforcement and accountability in golf's behavior rules.