Sports
LIV Golf revealed 2023 LIV Golf Team Championship quarterfinal matchups
Miami, FL (October 18, 2023) – LIV Golf today revealed the matchups for Friday’s quarterfinal round of the 2023 LIV Golf Team Championship, teeing off October 20-22 at Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami. Team opponents were announced at a captains’ selection show press conference to kick off this week’s three-day tournament taking place at the iconic Blue Monster course, site of LIV Golf’s 14th and final event of the year.
For each head-to-head team matchup, three matches will take place: two singles matches and one alternate-shot (foursomes) match. All 32 players amongst the eight participating teams will compete simultaneously in a shotgun start and matches will be played until a winner is determined. Each match winner receives one point, and the first team to earn two points will advance to Saturday’s semifinals.
The first round of LIV Golf’s momentous season-ending event will showcase some of the biggest names in golf squaring off. Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, captain of HyFlyers GC, will take on five-time major champion and 2023 PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka, captain of Smash GC. The day’s featured singles matches also includes Fireballs GC captain and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia versus 2016 Open champion and Majesticks GC co-captain Henrik Stenson, while Ripper GC captain and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith will face two-time major winner and former world No. 1 Martin Kaymer, captain of Cleeks GC. Friday’s fourth singles match will feature 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, captain of Stinger GC, taking on Kevin Na, captain of Iron Heads GC.
As the highest-ranked team playing on Friday, Oosthuizen’s fifth-seeded Stinger GC was given the first selection for its opponent. Branden Grace, who finished ninth overall in the LIV Golf Individual Standings, will face Scott Vincent, who finished fourth in LIV Golf Jeddah presented by ROSHN to secure his spot in the league for 2024. In the groups’ alternate-shot matchup, the Stingers’ Dean Burmester and Charl Schwartzel will face Sihwan Kim and Danny Lee, who secured an individual win earlier this season in Tucson.
The sixth-seeded Fireballs GC, coming off a team victory in Jeddah, elected to take on the 11th seed Majesticks GC, the most experienced squad in the field with more than 2,000 starts amongst them. A pair of young, rising stars will face off in Eugenio Chacarra and Sam Horsfield, while veteran Ryder Cup legends Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood will take on the Mexican duo Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz in the foursomes match.
Seventh-seed Ripper GC will pair up Matt Jones and Jed Morgan versus former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger. Marc Leishman was selected for Ripper’s second singles match, in which he’ll play England’s Richard Bland, who finished 20th in this season’s rankings to secure his spot with LIV Golf for 2024.
The Smash-HyFlyers showdown is the only matchup involving teams consisting entirely of American players. Big-hitting Matthew Wolff will team up with Chase Koepka in the foursomes match, where James Piot will play alternate shot alongside Brendan Steele. For the second singles match, Jason Kokrak will face Cameron Tringale.
The LIV Golf League awarded points to teams based on their finish at each tournament, with values ranging from 32 points (first place) to 0 (9th-12th). Following the 13th and final regular season event, team standings determined seeds 1-12 for the Team Championship. Top-seeded 4Aces GC (192 points – Captain Dustin Johnson), second seed Crushers GC (186 points – Captain Bryson DeChambeau), third seed Torque GC (183 points – Captain Joaquin Niemann) and fourth seed RangeGoats GC (179 points – Captain Bubba Watson) earned a bye and automatically advance to Saturday’s semifinals.
Following Friday’s results, team captains for the top four seeds and captains for the four quarterfinal match winners will convene, with the higher-seeded teams selecting their opponents for Saturday’s semifinal round. On Sunday, all 48 players amongst the 12 teams will compete in one round of stroke play, with all four players’ scores counting towards their team’s score. The four teams advancing to the finals will compete for places 1-4, with the teams eliminated in the semifinals competing for places 5-8. Teams eliminated in the quarterfinals will compete for places 9 through 12, with larger prizes awarded to teams based on their finishing position.
Tickets are on sale at LIVGolf.com, where single-day and three-day grounds passes are all-inclusive of the world-class golf competition featuring many of the game’s biggest stars and all fan activities on site, including Saturday’s live concert by Alesso and Sunday’s concert by FISHER.
Quarterfinals: Friday, October 20
- Teams seeded 1-4 will receive a bye
- Teams seeded 5-12 will compete in head-to-head match-play competitions
- Highest-ranked teams select their opponents
- All 32 players amongst those eight teams will compete simultaneously in a shotgun start
- For each head-to-head team match-up, three matches will take place: two singles matches and one alternate-shot (foursomes) match
- Matches will be played until a winner is determined; there will be no ties. Each match winner receives one point
- Teams earning two points will advance to Saturday’s Semifinals
Semifinals: Saturday, October 21
- Teams seeded 1-4 will join the winning four teams from Friday for another day of head-to-head team match play
- Highest-ranked teams select their opponents
- All 32 players amongst those eight teams will compete simultaneously in a shotgun start
- Teams compete in the same format as Friday: two singles matches and one alternate-shot (foursomes) match, with each match winner receiving one point
- Matches will be played until a winner is determined; there will be no ties
- The four teams earning two points will advance to Sunday’s Finals
Finals: Sunday, October 22
- All 48 players amongst the 12 teams will compete in a shotgun start with one round of stroke play
- All four individual scores count towards the team’s score
- The four teams advancing to the finals compete for 1st through 4th place
- The four teams eliminated in the semifinals compete for 5th through 8th place
- The four teams eliminated in the quarterfinals compete for 9th through 12th place
- Larger prizes are awarded to teams based on their finishing position
- The lowest team score on Sunday amongst the four teams that advanced to the finals is crowned the 2023 LIV Golf Team Champion
Festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. local time when gates open to welcome guests of all ages to the variety of unique activations on site. Parking is free all three days in advance of the tournament’s 1:15 p.m. ET shotgun start on Friday and Saturday and 1:05 p.m. start Sunday. Grounds passes allow fans to walk the course, watch the action up close and grant entry to the interactive Fan Village – an immersive area featuring food and beverages and a specially-designed LIV Kids Zone for the youngest fans to relax and play. Activities include the indoor RangeGoats pickleball, chipping challenge, soccer precision wall, mini golf, mega putt, locker room, Torque GC’s racing simulator, American football pro pass, and much more. Visitors can enjoy golf-themed games and interactive experiences throughout the day, while giant video screens broadcast the live action.
At each LIV Golf tournament, free admission is granted for young people ages 12 and under. In addition, LIV Golf provides special offers for college and university students, teachers, medical professionals and first responders. Active-duty military and veteran service members are also granted complimentary grounds passes for themselves and a guest, as well as discounts for hospitality and experience packages. For more details on redeeming these special offers, visit LIVGolf.com.
The LIV Golf Team Championship will air from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday on The CW, The CW App and LIV Golf Plus, with Friday’s round carried on The CW App and LIV Golf Plus. In addition, LIV Golf tournaments are carried on YouTube and on more than a dozen international broadcast partners, delivering league broadcasts in over 180 territories to more than 380 million homes worldwide. For more information on how to watch the 2023 LIV Golf League, visit LIVGolf.com/where-to-watch.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — During Women’s History Month, leaders across the United States are recognized for their contributions to progress, equity and community empowerment. Among them, Florida National News (FNN) recognizes retired U.S. Army Commander Jocelyn Thomas, a military veteran, author, speaker and advocate for women’s sports.
Thomas has built a career defined by service, leadership and storytelling, transitioning from two decades in the U.S. Army to a growing influence in the sports and media industry.
Photo Credit: U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion, Facebook page – Tampa (Captain Jocelyn Thomas speaker)
Commander, United States Army (Retired)
Thomas entered the United States Army at just 19 years old, beginning a distinguished 20-year military career that would take her across the United States and around the world.
During her time in service, she held numerous leadership roles including Company Commander (twice), Battalion S3, Battalion Assistant Support Operations Officer (SPO), Executive Officer, Platoon Leader, Platoon Sergeant and Team Leader.
Her assignments included Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina, Texas, Korea and Florida, along with combat deployments to Afghanistan, Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay.
As a Company Commander, Thomas led a military unit responsible for approximately 100 to 250 soldiers, overseeing mission readiness, operational planning, training and the well-being of service members under her command.
Her responsibilities included:
- Tactical Leadership: Planning and executing company-level operations and maneuvers
- Training and Readiness: Ensuring soldiers were prepared for combat while maintaining equipment and operational standards
- Personnel Management: Mentoring and developing subordinate leaders, including platoon leaders
- Disciplinary Authority: Upholding military discipline and accountability within the unit
“Being a woman in the Army is a unique experience unlike any other,” Thomas said. “I want people to know that beneath the uniform, I am my own person.”
She describes herself as influential, trustworthy and hardworking. In addition to her military accomplishments, Thomas is also a certified personal trainer and wellness coach, reflecting her continued commitment to leadership, discipline and personal well-being.
Crewing Coordinator at ESPN
Following her military retirement, Thomas transitioned into the sports and media industry, where she currently works as a Crewing Coordinator at ESPN.
In this role, she supports live sports productions, managing behind-the-scenes logistics and coordinating on-air talent to ensure seamless broadcasts.
Thomas is also a Disney Military Fellowship Program Ambassador, representing the program that helps military veterans transition into civilian careers within The Walt Disney Company and ESPN.
Her leadership, organization and communication skills have proven valuable in the fast-paced environment of sports broadcasting.
Sports Events Manager at ESPN Wide World of Sports
Prior to joining ESPN, Thomas worked as a Sports Events Manager at ESPN Wide World of Sports, where she helped oversee major sporting events from planning through execution.
Her background as a U.S. Army Operations Officer provided the leadership and logistical expertise needed to manage complex sporting events and coordinate teams working behind the scenes.
Advocate for Women’s Sports
Thomas has also become a passionate advocate for the growth and visibility of women’s sports, particularly women’s flag football.
Her work includes storytelling and coverage for initiatives such as:
- She Is Football Weekend with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Girls Flag Football Week with the Atlanta Falcons
- Coverage of Alabama State University’s Women’s Flag Football Team during the 2026 season
Through these efforts, Thomas continues to amplify opportunities for female athletes and expand awareness of women’s football programs across the country.
Author and Motivational Speaker
Beyond sports media, Thomas is also a best-selling author and national keynote speaker, sharing lessons on leadership, resilience and perseverance.
She has delivered presentations for organizations including:
- Collegiate Sports Management Group
- ESPN Wide World of Sports
- Military Influencer Conference
- The Mayweather brand
- Streaming platform Twitch
Thomas has also spoken at universities and institutions such as Spelman College, Full Sail University and the University of Tampa, along with numerous military programs and high schools.
Her philosophy remains simple yet powerful:
“Success is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Impact on Women and Future Leaders
Thomas’ journey from Army commander to sports media professional reflects the growing influence of women leaders in fields traditionally dominated by men, including military leadership, sports broadcasting and athletics.
Through her advocacy for women’s flag football, leadership mentoring and public speaking, Thomas continues to inspire young women, athletes and veterans pursuing new careers after military service.
Key Achievements and Milestones
- 20-year U.S. Army combat veteran
- Three combat deployments
- Two-time U.S. Army Company Commander
- Leader responsible for more than 10,000 soldiers during her military career
- Disney’s first Military Veteran Intern (Fellow) at Disney Sports
- First Disney Fellow to complete the fellowship program and be hired full-time by ESPN
- Crewing Coordinator at ESPN
- Former Sports Events Manager at ESPN Wide World of Sports
- Best-selling author and national keynote speaker
- Sideline reporter and journalist for the Atlanta Truth Women’s Professional Tackle Football team and Alabama State University Women’s Flag Football team
- Mother to Legend Thomas (8)
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About the Florida National News Women’s History Month Series
Each March, Florida National News proudly celebrates Women’s History Month by highlighting the achievements, leadership, and impact of women across Florida and beyond. This special editorial series spotlights trailblazers in arts, culture, and fashion; business and entrepreneurship; education and academia; government and public service; media and communications; military and veterans; nonprofit and community leadership; philanthropy; and sports and athletics—women whose stories inspire progress and empower future generations.
