LIV Golf Chicago Preview: Plenty on line for HyFlyers GC entering Bolingbrook
Team: HyFlyers Golf Club
Previous event team finish: T10
Season-long team standings: 12th
Top finisher from previous event: Cameron Tringale, T11
Fun stat: Brendan Steele is tied for fifth in eagles made in 2024 with six.
Preview
It’s no secret that members of HyFlyers Golf Club are out of the running for the season-long Individual Championship, which will be earned this week at LIV Golf Chicago. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to play for. In fact, this will be one of the biggest weeks for two of its players.
Brendan Steele, the winner at LIV Golf Adelaide earlier this season, is No. 24 in the individual standings, which is the final spot inside the Lock Zone to secure a player’s spot on the LIV Golf League in 2025. Teammate Cameron Tringale is No. 26 and in the Open Zone. For both, a good week at Bolingbrook Golf Club is a must, so expect both to be super sharp as they look to secure their status for next season.
Captain Phil Mickelson has liked the resiliency he’s seen from both players of late. With Steele and Tringale hovering in the zone of uncertainty, they have responded nicely in recent events. Steele has two top-25s in his last four events, including a T14 at LIV Golf Nashville. Tringale, meanwhile, has performed even better with added stress. He has three top-11 finishes in his last five events, including a T6 at LIV Golf UK.
Andy Ogletree has more work to do than Steele and Tringale. Ogletree is No. 33 in the standings and will need to move up nine spots to get into the Lock Zone. While that might be too much to overcome, Ogletree has shown the ability to surge when least expected, as evidenced by his two top-6 finishes this season.
Mickelson will also be keeping a close eye on how his team performs overall. Following Chicago, the Team Championship will take place in Dallas and being focused will be key. HyFlyers GC will be among the 10 teams that will play in the Day 1 quarterfinals in Dallas after it had previously been mathematically eliminated from contention for a top-3 seed and a bye.
As for this week, Bolingbrook Golf Club has a history of challenging the world’s top players with a mix of natural elements and skillfully crafted greens. It was designed by famed architect Arthur Hills and partner Steve Forrest and is just 30 miles from downtown Chicago. The signature hole is the par-3 15th (which is at No. 6 this week since the front and back nines are flipped) and features an island green and creates plenty of late-round drama.
Bolingbrook GC is officially 7,104 yards in length and has rolling fairways and elevated greens, which will play into the hands of the League’s best ball-strikers and scramblers. Players will also have to navigate seven different lakes, contributing to the possibility of big scores and a constantly changing leaderboard.