Nashville Recap: HyFlyers GC focuses on positives from The Grove

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – It was lining up to be an interesting week for HyFlyers Golf Club entering LIV Golf Nashville. The team was coming off back-to-back T8 finishes, but its overall play was trending in a positive direction. A lower score here or there, and they would have seen results more in line with their recent third-place finish at Adelaide.

Unfortunately, a rough start at The Grove put the team in a tough position, and despite some gritty performances in the final two rounds, the team finished 10th on the team leaderboard and stand 12th in the season-long team standings.

Friday was a study in frustration as the team’s counting scores totaled 1-over par. However, Captain Phil Mickelson showed his legendary leadership and recorded his team’s lowest score of the day, a 1-under 70. The six-time major champion had the huge Nashville crowds roaring once again on Saturday when he shot another 1-under 70 which provided plenty of short-game heroics for which the World Golf Hall of Famer is known.

Teammate Brendan Steele also did his best on Saturday to help his team dig out of the early hole. Steele, who was the Individual Champion in Adelaide, shot a 4-under 67 which included six birdies and two bogeys. He was coming off a counting score of even par on Friday. Steele closed nicely on Sunday with a 4-under 67 to record his team’s highest finish (T14).

Cameron Tringale was coming off a T9 in Houston but got off to a slow start in Nashville. He was 2 over through the first two rounds but rebounded nicely on Sunday with a 5-under 66 to conclude the week in red numbers.

The Grove proved to be challenging for some teams but a good fit for others. With wide fairways, the thought entering the week was that the longer hitters would have an advantage due to having shorter irons entering greens. But the fast greens, slippery slopes and tricky fall-offs proved to be a bigger challenge than first expected, and those who were on top of their short games benefited most.

Couple that with dry, hot and humid weather, and the greens became even more challenging as the week wore on. Multiple players commented on how true the greens were rolling, and some even said they were similar to those at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 the previous week. So, it was no surprise that some of the League’s better short-game players who are not necessarily the longest bombers played well.

The team will now reset, rest and prepare for LIV Golf Andalucía at Real Club Valderrama in Spain from July 12-14.