Four of the biggest names in professional golf will be taking to the golf course for an exhibition match made for TV. There are no points to be won; it is advertised as being for the fans, with some bragging rights for whatever duo comes out on top and, of course, a participation fee for the golfers gracing the event. However, it is yet to be seen whether the prize money will be donated to charity. The match pits Rory Mcllroy and Scottie Scheffler, two constants on the PGA tour, against the LIV golf pair of Bryson DeChambeau and Brook Koepka. While so many details of this exhibition match are yet to be clarified, it is expected to be an 18-hole play in Las Vegas later this year in December to be televised by the US network TNT.
Another Episode of The Match?
The rumor mill is saying that because this event is being televised by TNT, which has televised all eight episodes of “The Match, this foursome in December might yet be another episode.” The Match, a series of head-to-head exhibition golf matches started in 2018, invites pro players and other notable sports mentions to a face-off, sometimes allowing sports betting on the side to up the stake and sweeten the pot. Since 2020, there have been two events each year, the first one coming up in spring or early summer and the other on Thanksgiving weekend.
It being another episode of The Match is all the more feasible when you consider three out of the four golfers have been on the show. Bryson DeChambeau twice and Brooks Koepka once, in 2021. The first match on July 6, 2021, advertised as The Match IV, featured Bryson and Aaron Rodgers, a popular American Quarterback, teaming up and winning against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady. Later that year, on November 6, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka faced off in the original format when Tiger and Phil Mickelson faced off at the very first The Match event, with Koepka leaving the course the Victor. And most recently this year, Rory Mcllroy participated in The Match IX, where he played with Max Homa, Rose Zhang, and Lexi Thompson before ultimately winning the event.
While the odds of the event are yet to be published on any of the best betting sites, expertly compiled in Peter Addision’s review, or anywhere else for that matter, you can not help but think the match is slightly tilted towards the PGA tour duo. Even though both Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka slightly edge Rory Mcllroy, with the latter initially tied with Mcllroy for four major victories before Koepka won the fifth at the 2023 PGA Championship and the former defeating Mcllroy at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst in Juve, Scheffler being the wild card in the mix changes everything. Scheffler has made himself the undisputed number one golfer in the world, with a dominance reminiscent of when Tiger ran riot in the sport; he has won seven PGA tours this season, including the FedEx Cup title, accompanied by a whopping $25 million bonus.
PGA vs. PIF
As exciting as all these sound, fans are not really excited. They would rather their favorite players met often and played competitively, not just in an exhibition match where the results aren’t really representative. Fans believe that top-quality golf is being kept away from them due to the civil war ongoing between the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, which is the £600 billion treasury bankrolling the LIV, a different golf format that has poached players like Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka, among others.
Since LIV Golf was founded in 2022, top golfing talent has been unable to play frequently, with this being the only time they’d meet outside of the majors and the Olympics. This disappointment from the fans has been made obvious in a drop in viewership and TV ratings. According to the Augusta National Chairman, Fred Ridley, “ If you look at the data this year, golf viewers are down linear television while other sports, some other sports are up…Certainly, the fact that the best players in the world are not convening very often is not helpful,” Ridley continued. “Whether or not there’s a direct causal effect, I don’t know. But I think that it would be a lot better if they were together more often.”
This sentiment is shared by many golfers, too, most notably Scheffler. Laying the blame, Scheffler said, “If the fans are upset, then look at the guys that left,” he said. “That’s where the splintering comes from.”
Some people argue that while the love and sanctity of the sport should be maintained, they can not blame the players who jumped ship as they get to enjoy their favorite sport with a less demanding schedule while getting paid significantly more than what they earned at the PGA. To put things in perspective, Phil Mickelson, one of the most popular names in golfing history, only earned $94 million throughout his PGA tour career but was reported to have been offered a contract worth $200 million by LIV Golf. He is not alone; former world number one Dustin Johnson was offered a contract worth $125 million compared to his lifetime $74 million earnings with the PGA, and it is reported that they tried to lure Tiger Woods with a contract worth upwards of $700 million, which he declined.
Realizing that the Liv Golf situation is not going away anytime soon, the PGA has decided to tackle it head-on. Many people consider this four-way game later in the year evidence of a truce in the making. A committee has been constituted, one that features Tiger Woods, in hopes of finding common ground between both outfits and restoring parity and normalcy in the golfing world.
Everyone’s on board.
All four participants have confirmed that the event is happening. In a text message, Rory Mcllroy said, “I’m thrilled to partner with Scottie in what promises to be an exciting duel against Bryson and Brooks in Vegas this December. This isn’t just a contest between some of golf’s major champions; it’s an event designed to energize the fans. We’re all here to put on a great show and contribute to a goodwill event that brings the best together again.”
Scottie Scheffler’s Agent, Brett Falkoff, said on Scottie’s behalf that “Bryson looks forward to competing in Las Vegas this December in an event that is sure to provide great entertainment for the fans.” Also, Blake Smith, who manages Kopeka and Scheffler for Hambris Sports, said both golfers were “excited to be part of this unique event.”
The PGA has not commented until now. When asked about Scheffler and McIlroy’s participation, the PGA Tour said it was “not affiliated with that event.”