THE MODERATOR: Welcome all. Joaquin, a little bit later than expected, but congrats on the win. Let's get your thoughts on that.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Thank you. It was a long day obviously. It's been a long stretch too after four weeks in a row in the last five weeks. This is the last week, and I really, really wanted to win in these couple weeks.
I've been close. I haven't had a great Sunday. So I was just thinking about it yesterday, and today was not Sunday. So that might be a sign that it might be my day.
Started out a great day, started great. A couple of birdies to start. Then I just had a little bit of trouble during the end of the round, especially with the putting. But that's part of it. It's part of the game. It's part of golf. Just happy to make it happen.
Q. At any point you lost it on 18, come up short, did you still think you would win, or were you concerned at some point?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: No, I thought I was going to win. I didn't hit my best driver. I ended up in the front, have a little push in the back. I felt like I had a shot where I could hit the front of the green and it would be an easy putt.
But I hit it a little bit fat, left myself a tricky chip, made a great shot from there. Then even though it was a tough putt, it had a lot of break right to left, I feel like I didn't quite hit it. Yeah, just missed it low.
Q. Winning the International Series, let's get your thoughts on that.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Also, I played my first International Series this year in Oman. I've been really enjoying it. I feel like we have a lot of guys that have been playing on the International Series, which is nice to support.
It's nice to get that motivation for the other kids coming. There's a lot of golfers in the world, a lot of great golfers, and by having this platform of the International Series to provide a dream for a golfer to make it in their future career and to make it to LIV Golf is great.
Yeah, I invite them to play LIV Golf. You see it's more fun.
I have a lot of friends that are going to give it a try too. I'm happy to have them near me, and one day I'm pretty sure they're going to make it to LIV Golf.
Q. Just a question. Obviously you competed in the International Series and have won the rankings this year. Just wondering what your plans are for next year. Are you going to try to play a few more events?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: LIV season starts the first week of February, and I normally like to be playing a few tournaments before. It's something I do every year, so I'll likely be here the week before Riyadh.
I'm excited for that to come back after a few weeks vacation and prepare my off-season for a good year.
Q. I just wonder what you think of the International Series for preparation for your entire team. I know you've played Oman, for example. Is this something we can see more of going forward, where you get together?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: We are obviously, Team Torque, we like to share a week of golf together. We have done it every year for the last two years. We've been going to Oman. Normally when somebody wants to play International Series, we all try to go.
This year I was going to go to Macao with my teammates. I withdraw at the last minute because I was tired a little bit.
Yeah, we like going out together. I feel like it's also good competition for us to get ready for the season, put some amount of golf in our blood. You know it's another chance to have our teammates fighting for each other. It would be nice one day fighting with one of my teammates on the 18th hole. I feel like I could really enjoy that.
Yeah, it's a great preparation for us and our season.
Q. Obviously during the season you were ahead in the points standings, and then Jon Rahm got you there in the end.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Thanks for the reminder.
Q. Any time. How satisfying is it to swoop in and grab the season long title? I think you said it's maybe your first.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: The place where I finished in second on LIV, I really wanted to win. I feel like I worked really hard for it. I was going to say I feel like I deserve it, but you don't really deserve anything here in sports.
Yeah, you've just got to put your head down, keep working for it. I know that I feel like it give me that extra motivation to come and play here for this last event of the year and make something happen.
So it's great to have a win with the International Series ranking as well. Yeah, it gives me a better taste at the end of the year that beats second on LIV. So I'm really happy with the way it finished and looking forward for the time off.
Q. You have some big plans coming up personally?
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: Yeah, I've got my wedding the 21st, Christmas, New Year, and a few vacations with the entire family. So I'm really excited for it.
Q. Congratulations all around including your wedding. This is the second time you've won in the Kingdom this year. Could you give us your impressions how golf is developing in this country because we can see Golf Saudi is making an amazing effort.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN: They've been doing a great job. I come from a country that golf is not big, and you know, you can tell the same thing. There's something we want to improve, especially in sports, but me being a golfer, I'm able to see what golf is in Saudi. I've been able to be part of it for the last three, four years and see the progress that Golf Saudi has made with PIF. It's great.
For me, it really is a bit harder to do things right because I know this is a platform that is going to take off on TOUR at the next level. So to be part of it and inspire new generations. Like I saw a lot of kids watching today, and I was really excited for them to have seen that the last couple of years. It's very exciting. You can tell there's been progress, and it's been great.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports