NASHVILLE PREVIEW: KOEPKA AND TEAM LOOK TO MAKE IT SMASH-VILLE IN NASHVILLE

Team: Smash Golf Club
Previous event team finish: 2nd
Season-long team standings: 5th
Top finisher from previous event: Graeme McDowell, T6
Fun stat: Smash GC leads the League in total eagles (13) and fairways hit (62.7%).

Preview

Nashville should be music to the ears of Smash Golf Club considering its recent performances, regardless of the venue, state or country.

The team continues to be firmly in the mix week in and week out for not only podium finishes but for hoisting hardware. Its most recent showing in Houston resulted in a second-place stage appearance and only two shots behind winner Cleeks Golf Club.

Now it’s on to LIV Golf Nashville, a new event and layout that will reward risk-takers and elite ball-strikers, but more on that in a minute. Smash GC currently sits fifth in the season-long team standings, and if that sounds lower than it should, it’s probably because the team is just five slim points behind third-place Torque Golf Club. So, the opportunity to make a big jump with another standout performance this week is there.

Captain Brooks Koepka continues to lead the way as only he can. The five-time major champion is coming off a strong T26 finish at the U.S. Open in brutally hard conditions at Pinehurst No. 2. His even-par 70 on Sunday was one of the better scores of the day. As for his recent play on the LIV Golf League, Koepka has been equally impressive. He sits fourth in the season-long team standings and just seven points outside of third place, and he has three top-9 finishes in the last three events, including a stirring individual victory in Singapore.

Koepka knows to reach certain goals that the entire team needs to perform. And that’s exactly what it’s doing. Graeme McDowell was the club’s top finisher in Houston (T6) and teammates Jason Kokrak and Talor Gooch combined to shoot 11 under on Sunday when all four scores counted. Combined with Koepka’s T9 finish, it’s a blueprint to become a top team in LIV Golf.

Now they enter LIV Golf Nashville, which might prove to be a crucial week on the schedule. The Grove was designed by LIV Golf League CEO Greg Norman and is a treasure tucked into one of the lushest landscapes in the Nashville area. One of the most challenging aspects of the layout is McCrory Creek, which winds throughout holes and is known as one of the most beguiling natural hazards in competitive golf.

The water features don't stop there. There are plenty of ponds surrounding greens and fairways, which offer true risk-reward opportunities for all skill sets. The course also begs players to take chances, and if executed correctly, the payoffs are huge. The greens should be fast this week and the fairways are generous. Couple that with elevation changes and The Grove should provide plenty of drama.