Dallas preview: Rippers target a third team title to cap ‘a really good year’ in LIV Golf

CARROLLTON, Texas – Ripper GC has already enjoyed a highly successful LIV Golf season but the all-Australian combination would dearly love to make it "a really good year" with victory in this week's Dallas Team Championship at Maridoe Golf Club.

After making a slow start to 2024, the Rippers caught fire with a third-place finish at LIV Golf Hong Kong in early March before going on to win back-to-back titles in Adelaide and Singapore.

In their 13 regular season starts, they also recorded two runner-up spots among their five podiums and, as the third seed this week for LIV Golf's 2024 season finale, they earned a first-round bye and will meet sixth-seeded Fireballs GC in Saturday's semifinals.

"It's been a good year for us," said Marc Leishman, who ended the regular season ranked 15th in the individual points standings. "We would have liked to have had some more individual victories but to have those two team wins, particularly winning in Adelaide, was huge.

"And we can make it a really good year this week by having two solid days on Saturday and Sunday. Three team wins this year would be very cool."

Securing the first-round bye for this week was the first part of the team mission accomplished, according to Leishman.

"Last year, we got knocked out on the Friday so getting that bye was certainly a goal going into the year and particularly last week," he said, referring to the Rippers' 2-1 upset by the 10th-seeded Cleeks GC in the matchplay quarterfinal round of last year's Team Championship.

"We didn't have the week we wanted in Chicago last week but things went our way and it's nice not to have to play until Saturday."

Although the bye went their way, the Rippers posted their worst finish of the season by placing 12th last week at LIV Golf Chicago. Matt Jones was their best performer in the final round, firing a 3-under 67, while Leishman and Lucas Herbert both closed with 68s and captain Cameron Smith signed off with a 74.

Three-times DP World Tour winner Herbert, who joined Ripper GC just before the start of this season, tied for sixth on the individual leaderboard in Chicago.

"I think we probably got to Chicago a little bit early," said Leishman. "We got there early just to prepare and I think we might have worn ourselves out early in the week, but hopefully we got all the bad stuff out of the way last week.

"There are certain courses that I guess suit you really well and others that maybe don't, and that one didn't. Obviously Herby (Herbert) played really well there but hopefully this course in Dallas sets up a little better for us this week."

Leishman has liked what he has seen of Maridoe Golf Club during his practice rounds this week.

"I think it's a great matchplay venue," said the 40-year-old from Warrnambool in Victoria. "The course looks nice and we're hoping we can just play good. In matchplay, it's more important to be making the putts and putting pressure on your opponent. So I'm excited to get out there. Hopefully we have a good day on Saturday."

As the third seed, Ripper GC had the third pick of opponent for the semifinals after the opening quarterfinal matches ended on Friday afternoon. Captain Smith selected the Fireballs, who advanced to the last eight after a 3-0 whitewash of Majesticks GC.

"A bit of thought - that's about it, " Smith replied with a smile, when asked why he had opted to take on Sergio Garcia's team in the semifinals. "It seemed like we watched a lot of TV today, and that's who we wanted to go with."

Smith, who finished tied for second in three different LIV Golf tournaments this season - including a playoff loss at LIV Golf Hong Kong, felt that the first-round bye had been an extra bonus on Friday when the heat index reached 108.

"It was nice sitting in the clubhouse for much of today," he said. "We all went out and did some practice and realized how hot it was. It's nice doing a couple hours' worth of practice rather than five or six hours out there in the heat. I think that's worth the bye in itself."