Foursomes at the LIV Golf Team Championship can be brutal — one mistake and momentum swings fast. On Wednesday, Majesticks GC co-captains Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson felt it as Jinichiro Kozuma and Kevin Na poured in six birdies to their two, leaving the Majesticks duo chasing openings against unstoppable golf.

After the match, the co-captain pairing was faced with a blunt question. The interviewer asked whether Kozuma and Na’s six-birdie onslaught was the result of Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson playing poorly, or simply the other team executing exceptional golf. Poulter’s response was nothing short of brutally honest.

“I don’t know how you want to look at it. Foursomes is a difficult format to play. It’s hard to get in the flow. I felt I didn’t hit many iron shots all day,” he admitted. In this LIV Golf Team Championship format, alternate-shot foursomes play can be punishing; each player hits every other shot, so timing, rhythm, and coordination are crucial. Even if a team executes solid ball-striking, one well-timed birdie from the opponents can swing momentum, making it extremely challenging to recover or find a consistent flow.

The 2025 LIV Golf Team Championship at The Cardinal has a few key changes to make it more competitive. The two lowest-seeded teams play a Wednesday play-in to reach the quarterfinals, and no teams get byes, so everyone starts competing immediately. Friday and Saturday feature match play with singles and alternate-shot matches, while Sunday is a stroke-play finale where all four players’ scores count.

That pressure was evident on the course. “I felt it was kind of the way the golf course lays itself out, obviously I did most of the putting. Missed a few opportunities, but they didn’t really miss anything,” Poulter said. The Cardinal at St. John’s Resort demands precision with its mix of wide fairways, thick rough, bunkers, and water hazards, offering scoring chances only to those who stay sharp.

“Every little kind of opening we had with a half a chance,” Poulter said, capturing the dominance of their rivals. Kozuma and Na capitalized on every opportunity, “They kind of slammed the door with a birdie on us.” Even as Westwood and Horsfield produced more birdies than their opponents in singles, the relentless pressure left the Majesticks’ co-captains unable to build momentum.

Poulter was quick to give credit where it was due. “If you’re going to play that format and you’re going to come up against a pair which shoots 6-under par, I mean, you just have to take your hat off and respect good golf. It’s as simple as that,” he said, showing nothing but admiration for Kozuma and Na’s flawless play. At the same time, he made it clear that Majesticks GC wasn’t playing badly. “We actually haven’t played bad at all today. I think we missed two fairways all day. Pretty much in position. Yeah, we could have hit it a little closer on a couple of holes with a couple of opportunities. Could have rolled a few more putts in.” In short, it wasn’t a collapse it was just that a few missed opportunities combined with relentless opponents made the difference.

The event is important because it’s the season-ending event that decides the top team, making it a high-stakes showdown for everyone involved. Players risk more than just a bad score; they can lose valuable points, and most importantly, the chance to compete for the championship title. With the Michigan Team Championship shaping up as the final event of the season, many fans are already looking ahead to the 2026 LIV Golf schedule, which promises some big changes in venues and international stops.

LIV Golf 2026: New Venues and Major Schedule Shake-Up

The 2026 LIV Golf season is set to shake things up. The season will kick off in Riyadh, just like 2025, and then take players on a global tour with stops in Adelaide, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Africa, the latter being a brand-new venue for the league. Traditional American stops are getting a shake-up, too. Dallas and Miami, which were fan favorites in past seasons, are missing from the calendar, while new U.S. events are scheduled in Chicago, Indianapolis, and the Michigan Team Championship, which will close out the season. In between, players will also compete in Mexico City and either Washington or Virginia, creating a mix of international and domestic stops that’s quite different from previous years.

Fans are noticing the changes, and not all of them are thrilled. The move toward more international venues has some long-time followers worried that LIV Golf is losing its connection to American fans. Cities that previously brought huge crowds and lively energy, like Dallas and Miami, are now off the map, while new venues may take time to capture the same excitement.

As the LIV Golf Team Championship in Michigan unfolds, the outcome will crown the 2025 team champion, leaving fans wondering which pairing will rise to the occasion and handle the pressure of a high-stakes finale.