Golf’s rebel league takes center stage! With less than 24 hours until the LIV Golf Team Championship, anticipation is building. The innovative team format and strategic gameplay are set to shake up the traditional golf landscape. And golf enthusiasts are more than ready to witness the unique team format and strategy-driven gameplay. But before the action begins, there’s more to know than just the teams and schedules. 

Before the action begins, here are the essential facts you need to know—from surprising exemptions to clever captain’s choices.

5. The top 3 teams get a free pass

Imagine being handed a golden ticket to skip the first round of a high-stakes golf tournament. Sounds like a dream come true, right? Well, that’s exactly what’s happening for the top four teams at the LIV Golf Team Championship Dallas. The top three teams in the standings, after the 13 season-long matches, earned a bye to the semifinals on Saturday. 

These elite teams are Crushers GC, with 208.50 points, led by the formidable Bryson DeChambeau; Legion XIII, boasting 200 points, under the guidance of golf sensation Jon Rahm; and Ripper GC, with 151 points, spearheaded by the talented Cameron Smith. These golfing powerhouses have earned their spot at the top, and now they get to reap the rewards. No grueling first-round matches, no nail-biting finishes—just a smooth sail into the second round.

4. The first-round pairings with unpredictable openers 

With the seeds earning a bye, the real action starts on Friday, where 10 teams will clash in head-to-head battles. Here’s the twist: all 40 players from these 10 teams will compete in a thrilling shotgun start. But that’s not all—the higher-seeded teams hold the power, getting to handpick their opponents in a high-stakes game. Smash GC, led by Brook Koepka, chose Iron Heads GC as their opponent in the pre-tournament presser. 

Koepka’s reasoning? “Just went from the bottom up. I think that’s the way we did it. I just felt like we’ve got a good chance. We’ll see what happens.” Will the top seeds crush their opponents, or will cunning underdogs turn the tables? Only time will tell. But here’s the list for Friday’s team matchups, all handpicked by the captains.

3. Captains’ lineup choices revealed with a tactical twist

At the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship selection show, host Su-Ann Heng revealed the lineup choices for singles and foursomes matches. And guess what? They’re packed with surprises. What makes this announcement even more intriguing is that, until now, captains were kept in the dark about their opponents’ lineup choices. The secrecy surrounding individual match play and foursome selections has heightened the suspense, making this reveal a game-changer. 

The highly anticipated event tees off with a thrilling captains’ showdown. Brooks Koepka (Smash GC captain) takes on Kevin Na (Iron Heads GC captain) in a singles match that’s sure to set the tone. Following this exciting opener, Torque GC faces off against HyFlyers GC, with Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC captain) going head-to-head against HyFlyers GC member Andy Ogletree. Here’s the list of the matchups that are going to set ablaze the LIV Golf Team Championship.

2. Five captains opt for foursome format over singles

In a refreshing twist, LIV Golf’s 2024 Team Championship shakes up the traditional captain-vs-captain singles matchup. For the first time, captains can choose alternative pairings, and several teams are taking full advantage. Leading the charge is Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC, which broke the mold by benching their captain for singles. Mickelson’s reasoning was brilliantly unconventional.

“Andy Ogletree won the 21 amateur he’s a very tough match play competitor. Cameron Tringale won all of his matches last year. I wanted them both in singles. And Steele and I are really annoying to play against. Like I’m annoying and then, but when you put me in stealing like, it goes to another level. And I feel like that could be a challenge just dealing with that.”

Four other captains followed suit: Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer, and Bubba Watson. By partnering with teammates in foursomes, these captains are banking on teamwork and strategy to outsmart their opponents. 

1. The path to glory is a simple win-two, advance to semifinals

To make it to the quarterfinals on Saturday, teams must win at least two of their three head-to-head matches. There are three matches in each matchup: two singles matches and one alternate-shot (foursomes) match. There will be no ties, so matches will go on until a winner is found, with the winner of each match getting one point. The simple math is that the teams need two points to advance.

Five victorious teams will join the top seeds who earned a free pass to the next round. In the semis, the same process follows: the top seeds call the shots and pick their opponents. Winners advance to Sunday’s finale, fighting for the coveted Team Championship title. While the losers battle for respectful places 5-8, while others vie for 9-13.

Defending champions Crushers GC, led by Bryson DeChambeau, are hungry for a repeat. But will they reign supreme, or will bold newcomers snatch the crown? The suspense is palpable.