The LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship is hitting its final act, and itโs shaping up to be a real nail-biter.
After a couple of rounds of match play, Sundayโs finale will shift gears into stroke play, where every playerโs score matters, and no one can hide behind a teammateโs brilliance.
Itโs all on the line, and on a beast of a course like Maridoe, itโs anyoneโs game.
“Anything under par out here is an amazing score,” said Ripper GC captain Cameron Smith, summing up just how brutal the course is.
And with all four playersโ scores counting, it’s not just about going low โ itโs about avoiding those nasty high numbers that can sink a teamโs chances.
In the top tier, weโve got Legion XIII, Ripper GC, 4Aces GC, and the surprising Iron Heads GC. Legion has been dominant in this format all season, racking up a ridiculous 84-under cumulative score in final rounds.
But here’s the kicker: their fearless leader, Jon Rahm, is out with an illness. His spot is being filled by reserve player John Catlin.
Now, no offence to Catlin, but Rahm is a tough act to follow, and itโs anyoneโs guess how this will impact Legionโs chances.
“You just have to treat it like another Sunday,” said Tyrrell Hatton, whoโs stepping up as Legion XIIIโs second-in-command.
But letโs be real โ without Rahm, this isnโt just another Sunday. Itโs a massive opportunity for the other teams to pounce.
Ripper GC comes into the final round at 69-under for the season, while the 4Aces sit at 48-under. The Iron Heads? Well, letโs just say theyโve had a bit of a rough go, finishing 3-over in final rounds this season.
But hereโs the fun part: theyโve got momentum. They pulled off some big upsets in the match play rounds, and theyโre suddenly looking like a team that canโt miss, especially with the putter.
“I think our team is getting better,” said Iron Heads captain Kevin Na. “Some of the guys are young on the world stage, but theyโre only getting better every week, building confidence and experience.”
Naโs not wrong. His teamโs on a roll, and if they keep that momentum going, anythingโs possible.
Even Dustin Johnson, captain of the 4Aces, knows Sunday could deliver some surprises. “One round of stroke play, you never know whatโs going to happen.
Itโs golf.” That pretty much sums it up, doesnโt it? Golf is unpredictable, especially when the pressureโs cranked up to eleven.
Then thereโs the Crushers. The top-seeded team came into the semifinals as favourites, but an upset loss to the Iron Heads has them stuck competing for fifth place at best.
“Weโre disappointed,” said Paul Casey, plainly. “Youโve got to get everybody firing on all cylinders from the start.”
Itโs a tough pill to swallow for the Crushers, who had championship hopes but now have to settle for trying to salvage some pride in Tier 2.
And letโs not forget about Jon Rahm. His absence looms large over the final day. Tyrrell Hatton admitted he expected to see Rahmโs name in the lineup, but once they arrived at Maridoe, it was clear Rahm wasnโt going to make it.
“It was apparent that he just wasnโt up to it, which was unfortunate,” said Hatton. “We all wish him well and hope he gets back to full health soon.”
So, whatโs it going to be? Will the Iron Heads continue their Cinderella story? Will Legion XIII manage without Rahm?
Can the 4Aces pull off a shocker? Itโs all coming down to this final round of stroke play, and every shot matters.
As always in golf, anything can happen, and thatโs what makes the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship semi-final such a must-watch event. Grab your popcorn, folks โ this oneโs going to be wild.
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS TIERS
TIER 1:ย These four teams won their semifinal matches and will compete for the 2024 LIV Golf Team Championship and positions 1st through 4th on the final leaderboard.
Legion XIII (2nd seed)
Ripper GC (3rd seed)
4Aces GC (10th seed)
Iron Heads GC (13th seed)
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TIER 2:ย These four teams lost in the semifinals and will compete for positions 5th through 8th on the final leaderboard
Crushers GC (1st seed)
Fireballs GC (6th seed)
Stinger GC (7th seed)
HyFlyers GC (12th seed)
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TIER 3:ย These five teams lost in the quarterfinals and will compete for positions 9th through 13th on the final leaderboard.
Smash GC (4th seed)
Torque GC (5th seed)
Cleeks GC (8th seed)
RangeGoats GC (9th seed)
Majesticks GC (11th seed)
