Harper Lin
The Match is an annual exhibition match play golf challenge that began in 2018. The event features major professional golfers or other notable athletes facing each other in a head-to-head competition. The inaugural edition, titled The Match: Tiger vs. Phil, was played on November 23, 2018, between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, at the Shadow Creek Golf Course in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Since 2020, two iterations of The Match have been held each year, usually in November or December, outside the PGA Tour season. The Match: Superstars, the tenth edition of The Match, was held over two days, starting on a Thursday and featuring eight celebrities in sports and entertainment facing off in a golf competition.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 26 February 2024 |
| Participants | Rory McIlroy, Lexi Thompson, Max Homa, Rose Zhang |
| Format | Exhibition match play golf challenge |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Inaugural edition | 2018 |
| Inaugural edition participants | Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson |
| Inaugural edition winner | Phil Mickelson |
| Inaugural edition purse | $9 million |
| Inaugural edition telecast | Pay-per-view |
| Current broadcaster | TNT |
| Other broadcasters | Eurosport, GolfTV, Discovery+ |
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What You'll Learn
The Match: Tiger vs. Phil
"The Match: Tiger vs. Phil" refers to a golf match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson that took place on Thanksgiving Weekend, Friday, November 23, 2018. The match was held at the Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, starting at 3 pm. The event was conceived by Hollywood agent Jack Whigham and film and TV producer Bryan Zuriff, who envisioned a golf event with a strong focus on interactive fan engagement and banter between the players.
The match was highly anticipated due to the rivalry between Woods and Mickelson, who are considered two of the greatest players of their generation, with a combined total of 122 PGA Tour victories and 19 major championship titles. The event was promoted with a strong emphasis on side bets, which were separate from the main purse. These bets added an exciting element to the match, with challenges such as closest to the pin and longest drive. Both golfers wore mics, providing viewers with a unique perspective on their banter and trash talk.
The match itself was intense, with Mickelson ultimately emerging as the winner. After 18 holes of match play, the game was tied, leading to extra holes. Mickelson won on the 22nd overall hole, claiming the $9 million prize purse. He also won the side bets, resulting in a total of $9.6 million in earnings. This win marked a significant moment for Mickelson, as Woods had historically held the upper hand in their rivalry based on championships won.
The event was intended to be broadcast as pay-per-view in Canada and the United States, but technical difficulties with the payment system led to it being streamed for free. The broadcast was hosted by Ernie Johnson Jr. as the play-by-play commentator, with Peter Jacobsen and Darren Clarke providing additional commentary. Notable names such as Charles Barkley and Samuel L. Jackson were also involved in the broadcast.
A rematch, dubbed "The Match 2," took place on September 18, 2021. This time, NFL legends Tom Brady and Peyton Manning joined the competition, partnering with Woods and Mickelson, respectively.
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The Match: Champions for Charity
The Match is a series of exhibition match play golf challenge matches that began in 2018. The event features major professional golfers or other notable athletes facing each other in a head-to-head competition. The format has varied throughout the run of the event, with sports entertainment elements included, such as contestants wagering portions of their prize money on side bets.
The inaugural edition, titled "The Match: Tiger vs. Phil", was played on November 23, 2018, between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson at the Shadow Creek Golf Course in North Las Vegas, Nevada. The purse for the event was $9 million, with Phil Mickelson winning the match after 22 holes, including four playoff holes.
A rematch, titled "The Match: Champions for Charity", took place on May 24, 2020, at the Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida. This time, the event featured a pro-am four-ball format, with each golfer having a National Football League quarterback as their partner. Tiger Woods was paired with Peyton Manning, while Phil Mickelson teamed up with Tom Brady.
Since its inception, The Match has become an annual tradition, bringing together iconic golfers and, occasionally, athletes from other sports for a friendly competition. The event is usually held in November or December, outside the PGA Tour season, with two iterations taking place each year. The Match has been televised on TNT Sports and distributed internationally through platforms like Eurosport, GolfTV, and Discovery+.
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The Match: Champions for Change
The Match is a series of exhibition match play golf challenge matches that began in 2018. The event features major professional golfers or other notable athletes facing each other in a head-to-head competition. The format has varied throughout the run of the event, with sports entertainment elements included. Since 2020, two iterations of The Match have been held each year, alternating between contests involving professional golfers and contests involving celebrity athletes from other sports, with or without golf professionals.
The third edition of The Match, titled "The Match: Champions for Change", took place on November 27, 2020, at Stone Canyon Golf Club in Oro Valley, Arizona. The match, which benefited historically black colleges and universities, was played using an American foursomes format. The competition featured an all-star lineup, with NBA hall-of-famer Charles Barkley partnering with professional golfer Phil Mickelson, who played from a forward set of tees. They faced off against Peyton Manning and NBA star Stephen Curry, ultimately claiming victory with a score of 4 and 3.
The event was broadcast live on TNT, attracting an average of 1.0 million viewers. It was hosted by Anderson, with Immelman as the analyst, and NBA star Andre Iguodala joining as a guest analyst. On-course reporters included Gary McCord and Cheyenne Woods, and a "Cart Cam" stream was exclusively offered through Bleacher Report, hosted by Taylor Rooks and Eli Manning as the on-course correspondent.
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The Match: Superstars
The Match is a series of exhibition match play golf challenge matches that began in 2018. The event features major professional golfers or other notable athletes facing each other in a head-to-head competition. The format has varied throughout the run of the event, with sports entertainment elements included. Since 2020, two iterations of The Match have been held each year, alternating between contests involving professional golfers and contests involving celebrity athletes from other sports.
The tenth edition of The Match, billed as The Match Superstars, featured an all-celebrity format. It was held at Breakers West Country Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Eight celebrities from sports and entertainment competed in a two-day golf competition. The celebrities were divided into four teams of two: Wayne Gretzky & Bill Murray; Charles Barkley & Ken Griffey Jr.; Michael Phelps & Mark Wahlberg; and Blake Griffin & Nate Bargatze.
The competition began with a quarterfinal, with the partners split up and playing two knockout rounds of match play, each nine holes, to determine a winner. The four members of the winning teams played again the next day for the 1-on-1 semifinal and championship rounds. This edition of The Match was the first to be pre-recorded.
The Match 2024, which took place on February 26, featured golfers Rory McIlroy, Lexi Thompson, Max Homa, and Rose Zhang.
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Capital One's The Match
The inaugural edition of The Match, titled "Tiger vs. Phil", was played on November 23, 2018, between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson at the Shadow Creek Golf Course in North Las Vegas, Nevada. The event had a $9 million purse, which was taken home by Mickelson after 22 holes, including four playoff holes.
Since 2020, two iterations of The Match have been held each year, usually in November or December outside the PGA Tour season. One of the contests typically take place on the weekend before or after Thanksgiving. The event has been televised via pay-per-view and streamed on Bleacher Report's live streaming platform, B/R Live. However, due to technical difficulties with the payment system, B/R Live dropped the pay-per-view option and offered refunds to customers. As a result, The Match was streamed for free and has since been aired on cable television by TNT, with select editions simulcast on TBS, TruTV, or HLN.
The tenth edition of The Match, billed as "The Match Superstars," featured an all-celebrity format held at Breakers West Country Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Eight celebrities from sports and entertainment faced off in a two-day competition, with four teams of two competing in quarterfinal rounds. The teams for Day 1 were Bill Murray and Wayne Gretzky vs. Charles Barkley and Ken Griffey Jr., and Mark Wahlberg and Michael Phelps vs. Nate Bargatze and Blake Griffin. The winners from each team on Day 1 advanced to play in the 1-on-1 semifinal and championship rounds on Day 2.
The Match 2024, which took place on February 26, returned to featuring professional golfers, with Rory McIlroy, Lexi Thompson, Max Homa, and Rose Zhang participating.
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Frequently asked questions
The Match golf tournament usually takes place in November or December, outside the PGA Tour season.
The Match golf tournament has been held annually since 2018. Since 2020, two iterations of The Match have been held each year.
The Match features major professional golfers or other notable athletes facing each other in a head-to-head competition.
