By Samuel Blatchford
Carrollton, TX – The LIV Golf quarterfinals had some exciting matches today with some unexpected upsets, particularly Iron Heads GC defeating favorites Smash GC and the HyFlyers getting past Torque GC in a tight finish.
Iron Heads GC defeat Smash GC 2-1
The upset of all upsets as Brooks’ Smash GC was the all out favorite to win this match up. Brooks held on to win his singles match but the rest of his team couldn’t hang on. Tough loss for Smash GC.
Smash GC’s Brooks Koepka defeated Kevin Na, 6 and 5
Koepka won the first hole with a birdie and never trailed, making three consecutive birdies down the stretch.
Iron Heads’ Danny Lee defeated Talor Gooch, 1 up
Lee won the first three holes and matched Gooch down the stretch to give the Iron Heads their first-ever match win.
Iron Heads’ Jinichiro Kozuma and Scott Vincent defeated Smash GC’s Jason Kokrak and Graeme McDowell, 1 up (19)
The highlight of this foursome match was an ace by Scott Vincent on the 14th hole
HyFlyers defeat Torque GC 2-1
Another big upset as Joaquin Niemann’s Torque GC was the favorite to win this match up against Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers. The HyFlyers came away with the win due to an incredible effort from Mickelson and Steele in the foursome match
Torque GC’s Joaquin Niemann defeated HyFlyers’ Andy Ogletree, 4 and 3
Niemann took control in the middle portion of the round, then pulled away in the final six holes.
HyFlyers’ Cameron Tringale defeated Torque GC’s Sebastian Muñoz, 3 and 2
Tringale kept his LIV Golf match play record perfect (4-0), winning four of seven holes during one stretch.
HyFlyers’ Phil Mickelson and Brenden Steele defeated Torque GC’s Mito Pereira and Carlos Ortiz, 2 and 1
Torque was 3-up through seven before the HyFlyers won five of the next nine holes for the comeback victory and the team win.
Fireballs GC defeated Majesticks GC 3-0
Majesticks GC captain Ian Poulter with all of his match play expertise could not get it done as his team was swept by Fireballs GC
Fireballs GC’s Eugenio Chacarra defeated Majesticks GC’s Henrik Stenson, 1 up (19)
Stenson won the last two holes in regulation to tie, but Chacarra won the first extra hole with a par.
Fireballs GC’s David Puig defeated Majesticks GC’s Ian Poulter, 3 and 2
Puig won the first two holes, then took control in the middle of the round with three straight winning holes.
Fireballs GC’s Sergio Garcia and Abraham Ancer defeated Majesticks GC’s Lee Westwood and Sam Horsfield, 2 and 1
The Fireballs were down early before rallying to take the lead, then held off the Majesticks down the stretch.
Stingers GC defeated Cleeks GC 3-0
The Stingers led a clean sweep of Cleeks GC highlighted by playoff between Adrian Meronk and Branden Grace
Stingers GC’s Branden Grace defeated Cleeks GC’s Adrian Meronk, 1 up (19)
Grace, who’ll be relegated after the season, earned a hard-fought victory with a birdie on the first extra hole.
Stingers GC’s Dean Burmester defeated Cleeks GC’s Kalle Samooja, 4 and 3
Burmester’s three-hole stretch of birdie-eagle-birdie gave him the lead and he never let up in his round that included six birdies.
Stingers GC’s Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel defeated Cleeks GC’s Martin Kaymer and Richard Bland, 4 and 2
The Stinger duo won four of the first seven holes and responded whenever the Cleeks threatened to rally.
4Aces GC defeats Rangegoats GC 2-1
Rangegoats GC’s Peter Uihlein defeated 4Aces GC’s Dustin Johnson, 3 and 2
Uihlein kept his match play record perfect (4-0) with a six-hole stretch of one eagle and four birdies against his former captain.
4Aces GC’s Patrick Reed defeated Rangegoats GC’s Thomas Pieters, 5 and 4
Reed won for the first time in his LIV Golf match play career, making birdie on the opening hole and never losing a hole.
4Aces GC’s Harold Varner III and Pat Perez defeated Bubba Watson and Matthew Wolff, 2 and 1
The Aces were 4-up through 11 before the RangeGoats won three of the next four holes to make it close.