Ripper GC, which won the Team Championship last season, also went down in the quarterfinals, with Stinger GC providing the upset. The Australian and South African teams are clearly building up a rivalry, and this week Stinger GC was able to give Ripper GC a bit of payback from their playoff loss at LIV Golf Adelaide in 2024. Dean Burmester set the tone by defeating Lucas Herbert 4&2 in the first singles match, while Stinger GC Captain Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel defeated Marc Leishman and Matt Jones in their foursomes match 4&3.
“Me and Charl started slow, and then really picked up the pace and started playing some good golf,” Oosthuizen said.
Smith was able to beat Branden Grace 3&2, but Stinger advanced with two points.
In another dramatic showdown, Legion XIII was the No. 1 seed this week and therefore had the first choice of their opponent. Captain Jon Rahm chose Cleeks Golf Club and matched himself up with Adrian Meronk. In a back-and-forth match, Meronk outlasted the LIV Golf 2025 Individual Champion, 2&1. Rahm three-putt from less than 10 feet on the 17th hole to decide his fate in the match.
“It feels really nice,” Meronk said. “I knew it’s going to be a hard match. We were going back and forth. It was very enjoyable, and I really enjoyed it. I’m glad I got that point.”
In the foursomes match, the young Legion XIII duo of Tom McKibbin and Caleb Surratt defeated Cleeks GC Captain Martin Kaymer and Frederik Kjettrup, 2&1. With the match tied at one point apiece, the deciding point came down to Tyrrell Hatton and Richard Bland, who needed extra holes to decide who advanced to the semifinals. Bland missed a short par putt, sending Legion XIII the semifinals.
