The 2025 LIV Golf League season is nearing its conclusion, with just two regular-season events remaining before the highly anticipated Team Championship at The Cardinal, Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, Michigan, from August 22–24. The defending champions, Ripper GC led by Cameron Smith, will aim to hold onto their crown—though this year, the road to victory looks very different.

The league’s fourth season brings major format changes designed to ensure more of the sport’s biggest names remain in play right through the weekend, giving fans more opportunities to watch their favorite teams and players.

A New Path to the Title

As in previous years, the Team Championship marks the culmination of a season-long race to be crowned LIV Golf’s top team. During the 13 regular-season events, team standings have been determined by cumulative points—with only the top eight finishers in each tournament earning points toward the year-long table.

In a first for 2025, the two lowest-ranked teams after the final regular-season event (LIV Golf Indianapolis) will face off in a play-in match on Wednesday, August 20, ahead of the main championship. This sudden-death encounter will be played in match play format—two singles matches and one foursomes—with the first team to earn two points advancing. The losing team will be eliminated and will not compete in the Team Championship.

No More Early Elimination for Quarterfinal Losers

Last season, the top three seeds received byes into the semifinals. This year, all 12 remaining teams will compete in the Friday quarterfinals. Unlike in 2024, losing in the quarterfinals no longer means going home early.

Instead:

• Six quarterfinal winners advance to the Championship Bracket.

• Six quarterfinal losers move into the Rankings Bracket, where they will battle for final placement.

On Saturday, both brackets will play semifinals in match play:

• The three winners in the Championship Bracket will move on to Sunday’s title fight.

• The three losers in that bracket will compete for places 4–6.

• Winners in the Rankings Bracket will finish 7–9.

• Losers in the Rankings Bracket will finish 10–12.

Stroke Play Finale Featuring All 48 Players

On Sunday, August 24, all 48 players from the 12 teams will take the course for the stroke-play finale. Team scores will be calculated by adding the total strokes of all four members:

• 1–3: Championship Bracket Finalists

• 4–6: Championship Bracket Semifinal Losers

• 7–9: Rankings Bracket Winners

• 10–12: Rankings Bracket Losers

The team with the lowest combined score among the Championship Bracket finalists will be crowned 2025 LIV Golf Team Champions.

Tactical Twist: Lineup Advantage for Higher Seeds

A new strategic wrinkle has been added: in every match play round, the captain of the higher-seeded team will get to see the opponent’s lineup before finalizing their own. This could prove pivotal in deciding pairings and matchups.

Players Expect Surprises

The changes are already generating buzz among players. “There will be a couple of teams knocked out that people won’t expect,” predicted Cameron Smith, whose Ripper GC are aiming to defend their title.

Bryson DeChambeau welcomed the extra challenge: “It’s more pressure. Every day counts.”

Ross Hallett, LIV Golf’s Executive Vice President and Head of Events, explained the reasoning behind the overhaul:

“These adjustments will deliver more matches featuring our top teams and put added pressure on the players to perform from the very start to the very end of the week. It’s about giving fans the best possible show.”

2025 Team Championship Schedule at a Glance

• Wed, Aug 20 – Play-In: 12th vs. 13th seed in match play (2 singles, 1 foursomes). First to 2 points advances, loser eliminated.

• Fri, Aug 22 – Quarterfinals: 12 teams in match play (2 singles, 1 foursomes). Winners to Championship Bracket, losers to Rankings Bracket.

• Sat, Aug 23 – Semifinals: Match play within both brackets.

• Sun, Aug 24 – Finals: Stroke play featuring all 48 players; team totals determine final standings and the champion.

With more matches, fewer early exits, and a format that keeps the biggest stars in contention until Sunday, the 2025 LIV Golf Team Championship promises to be the most competitive—and unpredictable—finale in the league’s history.