2025 LIV Golf Team Championship: HyFlyers Upset Fireballs, Setting Up Rahm-Mickelson Showdown in Michigan Semifinals

In a day packed with drama at the LIV Golf Team Championship in Plymouth, Michigan, Phil Mickelson's 10th-seeded HyFlyers GC delivered the tournament's biggest upset on August 22, 2025, sweeping the third-seeded Fireballs GC 3-0 in the quarterfinals. This Cinderella run positions HyFlyers for a high-stakes semifinal clash with top-seeded Legion XIII, captained by Jon Rahm, in a matchup blending friendship and fierce competition. As the field narrows, Saturday's semifinals promise revenge plots, redemption arcs, and intense match play—here's your full recap and preview.

Quarterfinals Recap: Upsets and Clutch Moments Define Friday

Friday's no-bye format ensured non-stop action across six team-vs-team matchups, each featuring two singles and one foursomes. Winning teams advanced to the championship bracket for title contention, while losers dropped to the rankings bracket (7th-12th place). HyFlyers stood out as the only team to sweep, but close calls and comebacks dominated the day.

HyFlyers GC def. Fireballs GC, 3-0: Mickelson edged David Puig in 19 holes for his first LIV singles win, Cameron Tringale stayed perfect (6-0 career match play) with a 3 & 1 win over Abraham Ancer, and Andy Ogletree/Brendan Steele clinched 1-up over Josele Ballester/Sergio Garcia. "It's a great opportunity for us," Mickelson said post-match.

Legion XIII def. Cleeks GC, 2-1: Rahm fell 2 & 1 to Adrian Meronk in his Team Championship debut, but Tyrrell Hatton won in 19 holes over Richard Bland with a clutch up-and-down, and Tom McKibbin/Caleb Surratt took foursomes 2 & 1. "Tyrrell doing Tyrrell things," Rahm praised. "He seems to be unflappable hitting those short putts."

Crushers GC def. Majesticks GC, 2-1: Bryson DeChambeau rallied for a 4 & 2 singles win over Lee Westwood, Paul Casey/Charles Howell III dominated foursomes 5 & 4 over Ian Poulter/Henrik Stenson, despite Sam Horsfield's 2 & 1 victory over Anirban Lahiri.

Torque GC def. RangeGoats GC, 2-1: Joaquín Niemann overcame an early deficit to beat Bubba Watson 2 & 1, Sebastián Muñoz/Carlos Ortiz won foursomes 2 & 1, though Ben Campbell topped Mito Pereira 2 & 1.

Smash GC def. 4Aces GC, 2-1: Dustin Johnson bested Brooks Koepka 1-up on the 18th, but Talor Gooch defeated Patrick Reed 1-up, and Graeme McDowell/Jason Kokrak crushed foursomes 6 & 5 over Thomas Pieters/Harold Varner III. "We’re not going to mess with a winning formula," Koepka said.

Stinger GC def. Ripper GC, 2-1: Dean Burmester rolled Lucas Herbert 4 & 2, Louis Oosthuizen/Charl Schwartzel won foursomes 4 & 3 over Marc Leishman/Matt Jones, despite Cam Smith's 3 & 2 singles win over Branden Grace. This eliminates the defending champions, setting up Stinger's revenge against Torque.

Semifinals Preview: Rivalries, Redemptions, and Strategic Twists

Saturday's semifinals split into championship (title path) and rankings brackets, maintaining the two singles/one foursomes format. Winners in the championship bracket advance to Sunday's stroke-play finale for the crown.

Championship Bracket (Title Contention):

• Legion XIII vs. HyFlyers GC: Singles - Rahm vs. Mickelson, Hatton vs. Tringale; Foursomes - McKibbin/Surratt vs. Ogletree/Steele. Expect fireworks in the Rahm-Mickelson matchup—former Sun Devils with YouTube banter history.

• Crushers GC vs. Smash GC: Singles - Lahiri vs. Koepka, DeChambeau vs. Gooch; Foursomes - Casey/Howell III vs. Kokrak/McDowell. DeChambeau's choice to face Gooch (Smash's top performer) adds intrigue: "I’ve got my reasons... it’s not personal."

• Torque GC vs. Stinger GC: Singles - Niemann vs. Burmester, Pereira vs. Grace; Foursomes - Muñoz/Ortiz vs. Oosthuizen/Schwartzel. Oosthuizen seeks payback for 2023's elimination.

Rankings Bracket (7th-12th):

• Fireballs GC vs. Cleeks GC: Singles - Ancer vs. Meronk, Ballester vs. Bland; Foursomes - Garcia/Puig vs. Kaymer/Kjettrup.

• 4Aces GC vs. Majesticks GC: Singles - Johnson vs. Stenson, Reed vs. Horsfield; Foursomes - Pieters/Varner III vs. Poulter/Westwood.

• Ripper GC vs. RangeGoats GC: Singles - Smith vs. Campbell, Herbert vs. Wolff; Foursomes - Jones/Leishman vs. Uihlein/Watson.

Key Storylines: Torque's "Last Dance" and Unbeaten Streaks

Torque GC's Emotional Motivation: Mito Pereira's relegation after Indianapolis makes this his LIV farewell. Dubbed "The Last Dance" by Muñoz, it's fueling Torque. "Playing for Mito is big for us," Niemann said. "So Mito can leave with a better feeling."

Tringale's Perfection: HyFlyers' Cameron Tringale remains 6-0 in LIV match play. Mickelson joked: "On our team, my role is the talking, and he is the playing... he’s been tough to beat."

Smash's Motivated Pair: McDowell and Kokrak, stung by last year's 19-hole upset, delivered Friday's most lopsided win (6 & 5). Koepka noted: "They suit up really well with each other. Today proved that."

Sun Devils Spotlight: Mickelson's win over fellow ASU alum Puig sets up another against Rahm, with Crushers' Paul Casey lurking in foursomes.

Why This Matters: LIV Golf's Thrilling Format Shines

The Team Championship's match play intensity, combined with festival vibes—including Imagine Dragons on Saturday and Swedish House Mafia on Sunday—makes it a must-watch. With 10,000-15,000 fans at The Cardinal at Saint John’s, expect rowdy energy amplifying these rivalries.

Data and quotes provided by LIV Golf Media