Ava Romero
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 inaugural edition was held at the Shadow Creek Golf Course in North Las Vegas, Nevada, and was played between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Since then, The Match has been held at various locations, including Florida, Arizona, and Georgia. The event is televised and has gained popularity due to its innovative format and the participation of well-known athletes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the Golf Match Series | The Match |
| Year of Inception | 2018 |
| Frequency | Twice a year since 2020 |
| Participants | Major professional golfers or other notable athletes |
| Format | Varied; includes sports betting elements |
| Broadcasters | TNT Sports (formerly Turner Sports), TBS, TruTV, HLN, Eurosport, GolfTV, Discovery+ |
| Locations | Paradise, Nevada; North Las Vegas, Nevada; Hobe Sound, Florida; Oro Valley, Arizona; Big Sky, Montana; Belleair, Florida; Palm Beach Gardens, Florida |
| Notable Participants | Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Stephen Curry, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Klay Thompson |
| Notable Teams | Los Angeles Golf Club, Boston Common Golf, New York Golf Club, The Bay Golf Club, Motor City Golf Club |
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What You'll Learn
The Match golf series
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. For example, contestants wager portions of their prize money on side bets during the contest.
The first 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. Jack Whigham, a Hollywood agent, and Bryan Zuriff, a film and TV producer, conceived the event. It was jointly owned by Woods and Mickelson, who pledged to donate portions of the winnings to charity. The event was sold as a pay-per-view and was televised by TNT Sports (formerly Turner Sports), which has televised all iterations of the event.
A rematch, The Match: Champions for Charity, was played on May 24, 2020, at Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida. It featured a pro-am four-ball format with each golfer having a National Football League quarterback as his partner: Woods was paired with Peyton Manning, and Mickelson with Tom Brady. Woods and Manning won by a single hole. The match was broadcast live on TNT, TBS, HLN, and truTV, drawing an average of 2.8 million viewers.
A third edition, titled The Match: Champions For Change, took place on November 27, 2020, at Stone Canyon Golf Club in Oro Valley, Arizona. The match, benefiting historically black colleges and universities, was played using an American foursomes format. Mickelson partnered with NBA hall-of-famer Charles Barkley, and they defeated Manning and NBA star Stephen Curry 4 and 3. The event was again broadcast live on TNT, earning an average of 1 million viewers.
The seventh edition of The Match was held on December 10, 2022, at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida. A mostly new roster of professional golfers took part, including Rory McIlroy, who was paired with Woods. This was Woods' first televised event since the 2022 Open Championship, and he was still recovering from injuries sustained in a 2021 car crash. They competed against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in a four-ball event.
The Match 2024 is set to take place on February 26 and will be televised on TNT in the US, with simulcasts on truTV and HLN, as well as a live stream on Max.
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Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson
On November 23, 2018, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson competed in a highly anticipated golf match, dubbed "The Match". The event was a pay-per-view, 18-hole match play contest held at the exclusive Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada. With a $9 million prize on the line, the showdown between these golf legends generated immense excitement and attracted a global audience.
The buildup to the event was intense, with both Woods and Mickelson engaging in playful smack talk and exchanging challenges. The format of "The Match" added to the intrigue, as it followed a matchplay format, awarding a point to the golfer who won each hole. Additionally, Woods and Mickelson could make side bets ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 on challenges like the longest drive or closest-to-the-pin. Before the match, Mickelson goaded Woods into accepting a $200,000 bet that he would birdie the first hole.
The event was more than just a golf competition; it was billed as a TV show, with players and caddies wearing microphones and drones employed to capture the action. The unique format and high stakes generated significant interest, with golf fans around the world eager to tune in and witness history. The match was a first-of-its-kind event, showcasing the star power and competitive spirit of two of the sport's all-time greats.
The head-to-head match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson was not a one-time occurrence. Due to its immense popularity and the rivalry between the golfers, a second instalment, "The Match 2.0", took place on May 24, 2020. This time, the event was held at the Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida, and included NFL stars Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. While the first match was a solo endeavour, the sequel introduced a team component, with Woods partnering Manning against Mickelson and Brady.
"The Match" series between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson has revolutionized golf entertainment, combining athletic excellence with showmanship. The rivalry between these golfing icons has captivated audiences and elevated the sport to new heights, creating a highly successful and enduring franchise.
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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 off in a head-to-head competition. The format has varied, but all events have included sports entertainment elements, 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 his partner: Woods was paired with Peyton Manning, and Mickelson with Tom Brady.
Since its inception, The Match has been televised via pay-per-view and live streaming platforms. However, due to technical difficulties with the payment system in the initial edition, the event was eventually streamed for free, and refunds were offered. Since 2022, The Match has also been distributed internationally via Eurosport, GolfTV, and Discovery+.
The third edition, titled "The Match: Champions For Change", was held on November 27, 2020, at Stone Canyon Golf Club in Oro Valley, Arizona. This edition benefited historically black colleges and universities and was played using an American foursomes format.
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The Match: locations
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 event, with sports entertainment elements included.
The first 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 the winner taking the entire amount.
The inaugural edition was televised via pay-per-view, but technical difficulties with the payment system meant that it was ultimately streamed for free, with refunds issued. Since then, The Match has been aired on cable television by TNT, with select editions simulcast on TBS, TruTV, or HLN.
The locations of The Match have varied, with the only course to host the event on more than one occasion being the Wynn Golf Club in Paradise, Nevada, a designated town inside Las Vegas. The course, formerly known as the Desert Inn Golf Course, is shorter than most PGA Tour courses, sitting at under 7,000 yards. The Match has also been held at the following locations:
- Medalist Golf Club, Hobe Sound, Florida
- Stone Canyon Golf Club, Oro Valley, Arizona
- The Reserve at Moonlight Basin, Big Sky, Montana
- Pelican Golf Club, Belleair, Florida
- Breakers West Country Club, West Palm Beach, Florida
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TGL Golf
TGL, or Tomorrow's Golf League, is a tech-infused primetime golf league that was founded in August 2022. The league is a partnership between TMRW Sports, founded by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and former NBC golf executive Mike McCarley, and the PGA Tour.
TGL matches are played at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, which is a purpose-built venue that combines a data-rich virtual course with a first-of-its-kind short game complex. The SoFi Center measures nearly 250,000 square feet and can hold up to 1,500 spectators for TGL's inaugural season. The course within the SoFi Center covers an area of approximately 97 x 50 yards, which is roughly the size of a football field.
Each TGL team is composed of four PGA Tour golfers, with three players competing in each match. The matches are played across 15 of 30 custom-designed holes, which are a hybrid of virtual and real-life action. The holes are designed by Beau Welling Design, Nicklaus Design, and Pizá Golf, along with technology partner Full Swing Golf. Each hole is worth one point, and a "Hammer" can be used to increase the value of a hole by one point, allowing teams to strategize and press their advantage.
The league uses a points-based system for regular-season matches, similar to the National Hockey League's standings structure. Teams can earn up to two points per match, and the top four teams advance to the playoffs, which include semifinals and a championship series. TGL's overtime period is similar to a penalty shootout in soccer, with golfers competing head-to-head until a team successfully hits two shots closer to the pin.
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Frequently asked questions
The 2025-2026 TGL golf matches will take place at a purpose-built venue called SoFi Centre in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
The Match 2023 was played at the Wynn Golf Club in Paradise, Nevada, a designated town inside of Las Vegas.
The inaugural edition of The Match took place on November 23, 2018, at the Shadow Creek Golf Course in North Las Vegas, Nevada.
The second edition of The Match, The Match: Champions for Charity, was played on May 24, 2020, at Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida.
The third edition of The Match, The Match: Champions For Change, took place on November 27, 2020, at Stone Canyon Golf Club in Oro Valley, Arizona.
