No video of the throw was released and USGA provided limited details beyond the penalty, with updates expected as the situation developed.

Joaquin Niemann received a two-stroke penalty for serious misconduct after throwing a club on the sixth hole in the first round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, finishing that round eight over par.

The conduct penalty is part of a broader shift toward stricter enforcement of on-course behavior, with similar rules now adopted by the Masters and PGA Championship this year.

The penalty was issued under Rule 1.2b of the new on-course conduct code, which escalates penalties for misconduct and can lead to disqualification after three offenses.

Notes include that video of the incident had not surfaced, a volunteer witness described events, a police officer returned Niemann’s club, and officials emphasized sportsmanship and integrity.

New details from The New York Times describe the club-throw as occurring Thursday night after two OB shots, with an incident involving fire ants and a discarded ball marker, witnessed by a volunteer.

Niemann said he reacted to a tough end to the day, citing ants on the ball and a bad lie, and noted there were no players nearby when the club was thrown.

He clarified the club thrown was a sand wedge and joked about his round while expressing a positive outlook on finishing the tournament.

Officials have not publicly disclosed whether Niemann had prior warnings, though the policy contemplates a three-strike approach with potential disqualification after subsequent offenses.

The incident occurred during a fog-delayed opening round, with reports describing a dramatic outburst and witness accounts, though no video surfaced.

The club-throw incident happened the evening before the fog-delayed round, with ShotLink data outlining the sequence of poor tee shots leading to the penalty.