Match-by-match preview: Quick look at the LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship Semifinals

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – The stage is set for the semifinals of the LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship at The Cardinal at Saint John’s, where the remaining teams battle it out in team match play on Saturday, with the top three advancing to Sunday’s stroke-play final. With the Team Championship title on the line, here’s a quick look at the key matchups and statistical storylines for the semifinals, following Friday’s quarterfinal results.

LEGION XIII vs. HYFLYERS GC

Jon Rahm vs. Phil Mickelson
Friday Result: Meronk def. Rahm 2&1. Mickelson def. Puig in 19 holes.

Rahm and Mickelson should make for a fascinating semifinal match. Rahm won this year’s season-long Individual Championship and Mickelson is one of the savviest match play competitors of his generation. They’ve played together in plenty of practice rounds as well as in a YouTube match, but this will be the first time Rahm and Mickelson will play against each other in match play professionally.

Tyrrell Hatton vs. Cameron Tringale
Friday Result: Hatton def. Bland in 19 holes. Tringale def. Ancer 3&1.

Last year, Hatton beat Andy Ogletree 5&4 for Legion XIII in their semifinal win against HyFlyers GC. The Englishman is now 2-0 in singles on LIV Golf and will take on Cameron Tringale, who improved his incredible singles record on LIV Golf to 6-0.

Caleb Surratt/Tom McKibbin vs. Brendan Steele/Andy Ogletree
Friday Result: Surratt/McKibbin def. Kaymer/Kjettrup 2&1. Steele/Ogletree def. Garcia/Ballester 1 up.

Suratt and McKibbin have limited match play experience professionally, but it seems likely that the powerful young duo will get more comfortable as the tournament goes on. Steele and Ogletree will have gained some much-needed confidence after struggling to end the season individually. Both teams made three birdies in their match on Friday.

CRUSHERS GC vs. SMASH GC

Bryson DeChambeau vs. Talor Gooch
DeChambeau def. Westwood 4&2. Gooch def. Reed 1 up

DeChambeau’s choice to play Gooch was a bit surprising, as a showdown with his former rival, Brooks Koepka, seemed likely. However, Gooch, who ranked 6th in the individual standings this season, has undoubtedly been Smash GC’s best player. When asked about the decision, DeChambeau said with a smile, “I've got my reasons,” before adding, “It's not personal, though, I can tell you that. It's not.”

Gooch, who won at Valderrama earlier this year, should give DeChambeau all he can handle in this important matchup.

Anirban Lahiri vs. Brooks Koepka
Friday Result: Horsfield def. Lahiri 2&1. Johnson def. Koepka 1 up.

Lahiri is still looking for his first singles match win on LIV Golf (0-4) and will face Koepka, who has struggled towards the end of the season. Koepka made four birdies on Friday to Lahiri’s three.

Paul Casey/Charles Howell III vs. Jason Kokrak/Graeme McDowell
Friday Result: Casey/Howell III def. Stenson/Poulter 5&4.

Both foursomes were dominant on Friday, and this match should feature plenty of birdie looks with teammates whose games complement each other extremely well. Crushers GC have been experimenting with pairings over the past few years but may have found the perfect combination in Casey and Howell III. “For them today, they felt comfortable, they said. I feel like it was a great pairing. They're super comfortable. They played great golf. We're just going to keep the train rolling,” DeChambeau said on Friday.

TORQUE GC vs. STINGER GC

Joaquin Niemann vs. Dean Burmester
Friday Result: Niemann def. Watson 2&1. Burmester def. Herbert 4&2.

Niemann, who repeated his decision to take on the opponents' top player, draws a tough match against Burmester. The Chilean, who said early this week that he “likes playing alone”, improved his undefeated singles record to 4-0 on LIV Golf. Burmester, who boasts a 3-2 singles record, led the field with seven birdies in his Friday rout of Lucas Herbert, despite not playing the final two holes, including a par 5. This should be one of the most exciting matches of the day between two of the biggest hitters in the league.

Mito Pereira vs. Branden Grace
Friday Result: Campbell def. Pereira 2&1. Smith def. Grace 3&2.

Both Pereira (1-2) and Grace (2-4) have losing records on LIV Golf in singles matches, but will face off for an important clash, as Torque GC looks to rally behind Pereira, who’s been relegated after finishing 51st in the individual standings. Grace, whose played in 11 Presidents Cup matches, will be a tough matchup for the Chilean.

Sebastian Munoz /Carlos Ortiz vs. Louis Oosthuizen /Charl Schwartzel
Friday Result: Muñoz /Ortiz def. Wolff/Uihlein 2&1. Oosthuizen/Schwartzel def. Leishman/Jones 4&3.

Muñoz and Ortiz are the only foursomes pairing this week that feature two players who finished in the top 10 in the individual standings. The Torque GC duo will have their hands full with the Stinger GC pairing, as Oosthuizen and Schwartzel have played together frequently. They are 9-4-1 as a team including a record of 6-4-1 over three Presidents Cups and improved to 3-0 on LIV Golf in foursomes. This should be an incredible semifinal foursomes match.