Quarterfinals match previews for LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship

CARROLLTON, Texas – A look at each of the five team matchups in Friday’s quarterfinals of the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship:

SMASH GC vs. IRON HEADS GC

NOTES: First meeting between the teams … Koepka & Gooch are a combined 3-1 in LIV Golf singles; Na is 0-2 … Lee is making his first singles start … McDowell is 3-1 in LIV Golf foursomes while Kokrak is 2-0 … McDowell is playing his first Team Championship with Smash after playing for Cleeks GC the first two years … Kozuma is making his Team Championship debut … Iron Heads have never won a match (0-6) … Smash reached the finals in 2022 by winning their quarterfinals (2-1 over RangeGoats) and semifinals (3-0 over Majesticks) matchups.

QUOTES: “It all comes down to match play. Danny Lee and my coach works with Jason Kokrak, so we’ve been bribing him, trying to give him some flawed swing tips, so hopefully that works.” – Kevin Na … “It’s a huge part of why we wanted him and to have him on Smash. I think he’s been a big part of our success this year. He’s played really good on Sundays.” – Brooks Koepka on Graeme McDowell

TORQUE GC vs. HYFLYERS GC

NOTES: First meeting between the two teams … Niemann ranked second in season-long Individual points … Niemann is 2-0 in singles … Ogletree making his Team Championship debut … Tringale is 3-0 in match play (2-0 in singles) … Muñoz ’s 7 & 6 win over Branden Grace in 2023 is largest winning margin in Team Championship history … Ortiz (1-2 overall) making his first Team Championship start for Torque after signing in the offseason … Torque won four tournament team titles last year but none this year … Mickelson is 0-3 in LIV Golf match play history, all in singles … Ortiz and Muñoz  reside in the Dallas area and have more experience at Maridoe than any other players in the field … Ogletree won the 2019 U.S. Amateur, beating seven players in match play.

QUOTES: “Our team is looking forward to the challenge. We haven’t had the year that we wanted to this year, and this is an opportunity for us to showcase what we’re able to do against one of the really strong teams in the league.” – Phil Mickelson … “I’m looking forward to the challenge of playing Joaco. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get to play Phil this year. Maybe next year.” – Andy Ogletree … “It’s nice that they all live here. We’re staying at Carlos’ house. I think it’s a little bit more like a home tournament, to be staying in a house with their family, and be here on the golf course and playing in front of their friends and crowds.” – Joaquin Niemann on locals Carlos Ortiz & Sebastián Muñoz.

FIREBALLS GC vs. MAJESTICKS GC

NOTES: Second meeting … Fireballs beat Majesticks 2-1 in 2023 quarterfinals … Stenson beat Garcia in singles last year, while Chacarra beat Horsfield in the other singles … Garcia is 2-1 in singles and making his first LIV Golf foursomes start; he's 12-4-3 in Ryder Cup foursomes … David Puig (22) and Eugenio Chacarra (24) are the youngest players competing Friday; LIV Golf’s youngest player, 20-year-old Caleb Surratt of Legion XIII, doesn’t play until Saturday … Puig & Chacarra are a combined age of 46; their opponents Stenson and Poulter are each 48 … Garcia finished 3rd in the overall Individual standings to earn the final season-long bonus … Garcia and Ancer each won their first LIV Golf tournaments in 2024 … Garcia has played in three playoffs totaling eight holes this season.

QUOTES: “I have full belief in their ability and qualities they have. That’s why I’m putting them in singles. I want them to know I’m right behind them. I believe in them.” – Sergio Garcia on Chacarra and Puig … “It’s going to be a fun day. We didn’t do what we needed to do against them last year. I think that there’s going to be some motivation with us this year to obviously change that.” – Ian Poulter

STINGER GC vs. CLEEKS GC

NOTES: First meeting … Oosthuizen is 2-1 in singles and Kaymer is 0-2 … Both captains are making their first starts in LIV Golf foursomes … Burmester played foursomes last year with Schwartzel and is making his first singles start … Bland is 2-2 and one of just two players to have played in all four previous match play rounds … Meronk and Samooja are playing in their first Team Championship … Grace and Samooja finished in the Drop Zone and will be relegated after the season. Oosthuizen and Schwartzel partnered in four matches at the 2013 Presidents Cup with a 1-3-0 record … Burmester won his first LIV Golf individual title this season in Miami … Cleeks won their first team title in Houston.

QUOTES: “I think the matchup is great. Playing against Louis and Charl, very nice guys, good players, so I would feel really good to beat them.” – Martin Kaymer … “It’s going to be a tough match. If me and Martin play the way we know we can play, I think we’ve got enough to sneak that one.” – Richard Bland … “I just thought me and Charl matched up really nicely for this week, and the other two boys, I know what they’re capable of.” – Louis Oosthuizen.

RANGEGOATS GC vs. 4ACES GC

NOTES: First meeting … 4Aces were the No. 1 seed in each of the first two years … Uihlein (3-0) and Johnson (2-0) are undefeated in LIV Golf match play history … Uihlein played for the 4Aces in 2023, while Varner played for the RangeGoats. They were traded for each other in the offseason … Reed (0-2) is looking for his first LIV Golf match play win … Pieters and Varner won their foursomes match as RangeGoats teammates last year … RangeGoats led the league in driving distance.

QUOTES: “Pat and Harold were really kind of the obvious choice to play foursomes. Their games complement each other. I think they’re going to be a really tough match.” – Dustin Johnson … “Obviously playing against Harold, it’ll be fun. It’s what we love to do. We love the competition. This is probably the best matchup for TV.” – Bubba Watson