Bromance will likely be sturdy within the seventh version of The Match. Featuring 15-time main champion Tiger Woods alongside his enterprise associate and good pal Rory McIlroy squaring off with the all-American duo of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, the charity golf exhibition welcomes 4 main champions to Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, on Saturday.
Woods and McIlroy possess 19 main championships between the 2, whereas Spieth and Thomas lag behind with a measly 5. While each pairs are skilled, solely Woods has beforehand participated in The Match. Playing within the inaugural competitors, Woods fell to Phil Mickelson in further holes earlier than exacting revenge over Mickelson and Tom Brady alongside Peyton Manning within the second version of the occasion.
The 46-year-old might know what to anticipate from the competitors, however maybe not from his personal recreation. Not seen in competitors since The one hundred and fiftieth Open, Woods was anticipated to play within the 2022 Hero World Challenge earlier than being pressured to withdraw due to plantar fasciitis in his proper foot.
“I like playing, I like competing, but unfortunately, I can hit the golf ball and hit whatever shot you want, I just can’t walk,” stated Woods on the onset of his occasion in The Bahamas.
Fortunately for Woods, all opponents will use golf carts, and he occurs to be paired with the very best participant within the recreation in world No. 1 McIlroy. The Northern Irishman is contemporary off successful the DP World Tour Championship, capturing the European crown along with his FedEx Cup title from this previous summer time. McIlroy could also be in the very best type of the 4 gamers, however doubting Spieth and Thomas in a workforce competitors has confirmed to be unwise up to now.
Garnering a 4-0-0 file with one another on the 2022 Presidents Cup, Spieth and Thomas had been unstoppable at Quail Hollow Club in September. They are 16-7-1 when paired collectively between the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup, and will give Woods and McIlroy all they will deal with over the course of a 12-hole finest ball match.
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The Match 7
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Dec 10 | Time 7 p.m. ET
Location: Pelican Golf Club — Belleair, Florida
Broadcast: TNT | Simulcast: TBS, truTV, HLN
Format
The Match will likely be contested beneath 12 holes of match play and best-ball format. Each participant will play his personal ball, and the very best particular person rating from every workforce will rely for the outlet.
Teams
Tiger Woods & Rory McIlroy: They performed in an exhibition at Big Cedar Lodge following the 2020 U.S. Open, however outdoors of that and apply rounds, the 2 should not have any expertise alongside one another within the workforce setting. Woods is the most important query mark among the many 4 gamers, however any issues could also be squashed given his taking part in associate. McIlroy is taking part in among the finest golf of his profession, and Woods has alway been referred to as somebody to underdeliver to the media and overdeliver on the golf course. Perhaps this will likely be a kind of cases as nicely.
Jordan Spieth & Justin Thomas: Thomas completed the Hero World Challenge on a excessive notice to seize a solo fifth-place end result, whereas Spieth practically introduced up the rear for the second straight yr. These two can ham-and-egg it with the very best of them and know one another’s recreation perhaps higher than their very own. With a historical past of acting at their peak alongside one another, it’s no shock they’re listed because the favorites on this one. However, if Tiger and Rory are sensible (which they’re), they will not be giving these two too many gimmes — a lot to the dismay of Thomas — as quick putts have been a thorn in each of their sides.
Rick Gehman, Kyle Porter and Patrick McDonald preview The Match that includes Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy vs Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. Follow & hear to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Picks, odds
Odds by way of Caesars Sportsbook
Spieth/Thomas: -125 | Woods/McIlroy: +105
There has been vital motion on this line since opening. Woods and McIlroy had been truly -120 favorites at one level, however have since drifted to plus cash because the underdogs. Spieth and Thomas ought to hypothetically roll, nonetheless, these charity occasions have seen some surprises with the very best putters tending to win. That is not the power of Thomas, and absolutely not Spieth, which makes me imagine the present type of McIlroy mixed with a sprinkle of Woods magic will likely be sufficient to see them come out on prime. Pick: Woods/McIlroy +105