Dallas preview: HyFlyers GC face Torque GC at Team Championship

Team: HyFlyers Golf Club 
Season-long team standings: 12th   
Friday opponent: No. 5 Torque GC 
Fun stat: Cameron Tringale is one of only two players in LIV Golf League history with a match play record of 3-0 (2-0 singles; 1-0 foursomes) 

Preview 

HyFlyers GC, the No. 12 seed, will face No. 5 seed Torque GC on Friday at the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship. Torque GC had the second pick and made the selection during Thursday’s selection show. It sets up a star-studded quarterfinal matchup will see two teams with plenty of big-name talent to make noise at Maridoe Golf Club.

“Our team is looking forward to the challenge,” Captain Phil Mickelson said. “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.”

Here’s how Friday’s quarterfinals will work: The 10 teams that didn’t earn a bye will compete in a shotgun start, and it will consist of 40 players. For each head-to-head team matchup, three matches (two singles, one foursomes/alternate shot) will take place. Matches will be played until a winner is determined and each match winner will receive one point.

In singles, Andy Ogletree will face Joaquin Niemann while Cameron Tringale will face Sebastian Munoz. In foursomes, it will be Mickelson/Brendan Steele vs. Mito Pereira/Carlos Ortiz. The team earning two points will advance to Saturday’s semifinals.

So, the first goal for HyFlyers GC will be to survive and advance. And the team might lean on Tringale to lead the way. He is one of only two players who has a 3-0 record in LIV Golf League history (2-0 in singles, 1-0 in foursomes). Steele is 1-1 in match play on the LIV Golf League while Mickelson is 0-3. Ogletree will be making his match play debut on LIV Golf.

“Andy Ogletree won the (2019) U.S. Amateur and he’s a very tough match-play competitor,” Mickelson said. “Cam Tringale won all his matches last year. I wanted them both in singles.” 

Then Mickelson added some laughs with his assessment of playing with Steele in foursomes.

“Steeley and I are really annoying to play against,” Mickelson said with a smile. “I’m annoying, but when you put me and Steeley together, it goes to another level. I feel like that could be a challenge just dealing with that.”

As for the venue, Maridoe GC should be a good fit. It measures 7,438 yards and plays as a par 72, so while not overly long, it has enough distance to challenge average-length players who will have to rely on a deft short game. 

The course surrounds a massive lake and the terrain represents the landscape native to Texas. The routing takes players through soft, billowing grasses to lower forested areas and across a prairie. It returns back to the lake that anchors Maridoe GC, which prides itself on shot-making.