News

The Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson $10 million match is set for Thanksgiving weekend

Published

6 years ago

Aug 2, 2018

Just a day after Tiger Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, told ESPN “we are closer than we have been” to finalizing the $10 million winner-take-all money match between his client and Phil Mickelson, it looks like the deal is done.

According to ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, Tiger and Phil will square off at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas either Friday (Nov. 23) or Saturday (Nov. 24) of Thanksgiving weekend.

Woods and Mickelson played a nine-hole practice round Wednesday at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Mickelson floated the idea of the match at The Players in May.

“The excitement that’s been going on around here, it gets me thinking: Why don’t we just bypass all the ancillary stuff of a tournament and just go head-to-head and just have kind of a high-stakes, winner-take-all match…Now, I don’t know if he wants a piece of me, but I just think it would be something that would be really fun for us to do, and I think there would be a lot of interest in it if we just went straight to the final round.”

Perhaps surprisingly/why the heck not, Woods responded with, “I’m definitely not against that. We’ll play for whatever makes him uncomfortable.”

With respect to just how uncomfortable, the pair will be competing for roughly one quarter of their annual pay. According to Forbes, Woods pocketed $43.3 million in on/off course earnings in 2018. Mickelson banked $41.3 million.

With everything falling into place, the only question now is who’s your money on, WRXers?

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39 Comments

RocketBall

Sep 17, 2018 at 1:30 am

FANTASTIC idea. I’ll definitely watch it on PPV. My money is on Tiger. I say he smokes Phil 4 and 3.

Reply Report comment
Bank

Aug 21, 2018 at 8:26 am

this match is about 10 years too late. Lord who cares. a lot less than 10 years ago. I’m a decade older than these guys and I dont even want to see them. these guys dont need 10 million so its borderline aggravating. Theres nothing in this of interest. Make it a carry over skins game at least. An 8 million dollar hole i could watch- for a minute or two. As long as I had about 3 other screens going with actual entertainment. Match play is excruciatingly slow.

Reply Report comment
- Speedy
  
  Aug 21, 2018 at 1:45 pm
  
  Right on, Bank. I’ll have no problem finding something else to do.
  
  Reply Report comment
Tom

Aug 10, 2018 at 4:21 pm

It would be great if they had a TV channel that just showed and talked about Tiger 24/7….oh, they already do, but they call it the Golf Channel.

Reply Report comment
Sean

Aug 8, 2018 at 7:50 pm

This is the solution to the Tiger vs. Phil match:
http://www.therivalroast.com

Reply Report comment
Alan

Aug 4, 2018 at 4:04 pm

Bunch of bitter people making the negative comments today. Don’t like it don’t watch.
I’m sure you would rather hang out with drunk Uncle Ed Thanksgiving weekend.

Reply Report comment
Dixie doc

Aug 3, 2018 at 10:57 pm

I hope there’s a football game on that day. At least those teams will be playing for something.

Reply Report comment
Liberty Apples

Aug 3, 2018 at 9:36 pm

Does anyone really give a (fill in the blank)?

Reply Report comment
Dave

Aug 3, 2018 at 9:23 pm

” Really ” you go girls.

Reply Report comment
Steve M

Aug 3, 2018 at 5:54 pm

Not only are they not putting up any of their own money I bet they both ask for an appearance fee, so it won’t even be winner takes all

Reply Report comment
Tom

Aug 3, 2018 at 5:27 pm

Both from California how about donating that 10 million to California Public Golf courses so we will still have a few in 2019….

Reply Report comment
Jim McPherson

Aug 3, 2018 at 3:13 pm

I bet DJ would put up $10M of his own money to join in and make it a $20M winner take all.

But as the winners prize isn’t coming from either of them, it is meaningless and will suck. There will be no fight in it. My guess is it will be staged so it comes down to the wire, probably back and forth throughout the round and decided on the final hole. Bet on that!

Reply Report comment
Dtrain

Aug 3, 2018 at 2:03 pm

So even if Tiger loses it will be far from the worst Thanksgiving he’s had.

Reply Report comment
- Rich
  
  Aug 3, 2018 at 7:07 pm
  
  Wins the internet today!
  
  Reply Report comment
Regis

Aug 3, 2018 at 1:21 pm

As I sit here now I can say “No way I’ll watch it”. But I probably will. For how long? This will be hyperhyped like Riggs/King. My problem (if I do watch) is Who to root for (or more properly against). I can’t stand either of them. Like to see a prop bet. Over/under on photos of Tiger with his kids or Phil with lemonade stands

Reply Report comment
Curt

Aug 3, 2018 at 12:24 pm

It means absolute nothing if its NOT their own money to lose. I could care less about two guys playing for OPM.

Reply Report comment
- Bob
  
  Aug 3, 2018 at 1:36 pm
  
  Totally agree
  
  Reply Report comment
- Roy
  
  Aug 3, 2018 at 3:14 pm
  
  But a bunch of people playing for OPM is interesting?? Or is the only event you watch all year the US Am??
  
  Reply Report comment
Keith

Aug 3, 2018 at 12:16 pm

I live about 400 yards north of Shadow Creek in LV so I am intrigued. I wonder if it will be open to the public.

Reply Report comment
Steve Cantwell

Aug 3, 2018 at 11:35 am

I’d bet ( but not with my own money, of course) that this event will prove to be an uninspiring flop. Not to mention, horrible television as there will be too many commercials in between shots.

Reply Report comment
- Ev
  
  Aug 22, 2018 at 7:54 pm
  
  No commercials. Ppv
  
  Reply Report comment
G what

Aug 3, 2018 at 12:29 am

Make it $10MM if their own money

Reply Report comment
MT

Aug 2, 2018 at 11:06 pm

All the sticks in the mud complaining about this. Let them play and I for one will be watching. Hope the 10 million goes to a great charity like St Jude’s.

Reply Report comment
Waaa

Aug 2, 2018 at 6:04 pm

Most of the proceeds are going to charity.

Reply Report comment
ComeonPhil

Aug 2, 2018 at 3:17 pm

Usually when Phil fires off his mouth he misses the cut. It amazes me that Tiger with all his injuries and surgeries and limited playing time will still shoot lower scores than Phil. What amazes me about Phil is how inconsistent he is…..It is also surprising how many times Phil has choked despite having so many victories. I think that if you add just his second place finishes to his number of major victories he would have 15 majors. It is not only amazing that Phil is first in putting on tour this year, but also that he has only one win with that great putting and that when I watch him putt his putting still looks like it sucks.

Reply Report comment
Jason A

Aug 2, 2018 at 2:03 pm

bunch of salty old people in this comment area. i think this is great and is going to create a lot of buzz for golf.

Reply Report comment
Jamie

Aug 2, 2018 at 2:00 pm

It’s all freshly printed toilet paper backed by nothing but the cannon-fodder military.

Reply Report comment
Tyler Durden

Aug 2, 2018 at 12:57 pm

Great, an addict and a cheat playing for other people money. Must see tv.

Reply Report comment
Tartan Golf Travel

Aug 2, 2018 at 12:57 pm

They should have added 2 more players and brought back the old skins game. This sounds boring, May be would have been interesting when they were the best in the world but 2 guys head to head will make for boring golf.

Reply Report comment
toyzrx

Aug 2, 2018 at 12:53 pm

Lame. There are kids in many cities who don’t have food to eat and books to read.

Reply Report comment
- Erik
  
  Aug 2, 2018 at 1:44 pm
  
  So feed them and house them
  
  Reply Report comment
- DANA POINT
  
  Aug 3, 2018 at 2:28 am
  
  Good point. We should shut down the entertainment and sports industries entirely until we rectify that situation. No movies, no music, no superbowls and playoffs…just stop it all until no one is hungry, because they’re obviously linked.
  
  Reply Report comment
Moses

Aug 2, 2018 at 12:17 pm

Silly Season is back. Can we revive the Skins Game too.

Reply Report comment
dat

Aug 2, 2018 at 11:28 am

Who is bankrolling this?

Reply Report comment
- Erik
  
  Aug 2, 2018 at 1:45 pm
  
  Well with Phil’s love of gambling , I would imagine they are
  
  Reply Report comment
  - ~j~
    
    Aug 2, 2018 at 6:50 pm
    
    Yeah right. Neither is putting up a dime that i know of. Lame. Anyone can wager with other people’s money. Let’s see Phil grip it and rip it with HIS $10mil on the line.
    
    Reply Report comment
Kevin

Aug 2, 2018 at 11:23 am

unless they put their own money on the line, this is just a friendly game with the chance to win a lot of money. its like putting a bunch of money on black at the roulette table without having to actually bet any of your own money

Reply Report comment
- PT
  
  Aug 2, 2018 at 12:26 pm
  
  No, it isn’t. Clearly.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Michael
  
  Aug 2, 2018 at 12:29 pm
  
  Agree. When I first heard this idea, I thought that’s what it would be, a high stakes gambling round on TV, and I was very excited. There’s zero drama unless they put up their own money. Bogus. I’m not interested.
  
  Reply Report comment

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News

Morning 9: Rory: I’m not joining LIV | Masters ratings | Nelly: We just need a stage

Published

1 day ago

Apr 17, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as we gear up to this week’s RBC Heritage.

1. Rory: I’m not going to LIV

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…McIlroy said neither he nor his agents have ever discussed a potential deal to lure him to the LIV Golf League, which is being financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

“I honestly don’t know how these things get started,” McIlroy told Golf Channel while on the practice range at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, the site of this week’s RBC Heritage. “I’ve never been offered a number from LIV, and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV. Again, I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me.

“It doesn’t mean that I judge people who have went and played over there. I think one of the things that I have realized over the past two years is that people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves, and who are we to judge them for that? But personally, for me, my future is here on the PGA Tour, and it’s never been any different.”

Full piece.

2. Masters ratings down

Yahoo’s Jay Busbee…”Ratings for the full Masters week are now out, and 2024’s version ranks as the lowest since the COVID-impacted years of 2020 and 2021. There was a brief moment when four players shared the lead at the 2024 Masters, but Scottie Scheffler took care of business quickly enough and strolled to what qualifies as an “easy” Masters victory — a four-stroke triumph that wasn’t in doubt for most of the second nine.”

“Perhaps as a result, Sunday’s final round averaged 9.59 million viewers on CBS, according to Sports Media Watch, a 22.8% decline from last year’s 12.06 million. Scheffler’s win two years ago averaged 10.17 million viewers. Worth noting: Sunday’s final round was down 20 percent against last year’s victory by Jon Rahm, but last year’s final round fell on Easter Sunday, which created a significantly higher out-of-home percentage of viewers — 21 percent in 2023, as opposed to 9 percent this year.”

Full piece.

3. Chevron gets purse boost

Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols…“Chevron’s commitment to the LPGA went a step higher on Tuesday with the announcement of a purse increase to $7.9 million in 2024. The move brings the tour’s first major in line with the purses of other championships. The U.S. Women’s Open purse of $12 million paces the tour, with the KPMG Women’s PGA second at $10 million. The AIG Women’s British Open purse checks in at $9 million while Amundi Evian is $6.5 million.”

“Chevron, which moved the event away from Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, to Texas, last year, has increased the purse by $4.8 million since assuming title sponsorship in 2022. The company has committed to title sponsor the event through 2029.”

Full piece.

4. Shipley on “notegate”

Alex Myers for Golf Digest…”So what was up with “notegate”? During his hilarious spot with McAfee, Shipley reiterated there was no note from Woods, and that he was only looking at the moderator because he was so confused where the question was coming from:

“I looked over at the moderator like ‘Who the hell is this guy?'” Shipley says in the clip. “Because it just didn’t happen. I was so confused and so shocked in the moment.”

Full piece.

5. Nelly: We just need a stage

Iain Carter for the BBC…”Korda is the first American to win four consecutive tournaments on the LPGA since Lopez won five straight 46 years ago. This astonishing streak made the then rookie front page material for Sports Illustrated.

“Korda’s feats have yet to transcend the golfing village, and perhaps that suits her as she “tries to stay in my bubble”. But the American Solheim Cup player does recognise that more could be done to tell the increasingly compelling story of women’s golf.”

“I feel like we just need a stage,” she told reporters here at Carlton Woods just north of Houston. “We need to be put on TV.

“I feel like when it’s tape delay, or anything like that, that hurts our game. Women’s sports just needs a stage. If we have a stage we can show up and perform and show people what we’re all about.”

Full piece.

6. Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage

Check out all of our galleries from this week’s event!

Full piece.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage

Published

2 days ago

Apr 16, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.

We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.

We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.

Check out links to all our photos, below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

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News

Morning 9: Aberg: I want to be No. 1 | Rory’s management blasts ‘fake news’ reports

Published

2 days ago

Apr 16, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as we look back at the Masters while looking ahead to this week’s RBC Heritage.

1. Shane Ryan: Appreciate Scottie’s greatness

Golf Digest’s Shane Ryan…”This is what’s called generational talent, and we haven’t seen it in almost 20 years. Steve Stricker read the tea leaves when he picked Scheffler for the 2021 Ryder Cup—a decision that was richly rewarded—and starting in 2022, he was off to the races. The only hiccup was a few putting woes last year, but even that only served to highlight how remarkable his ball-striking had become—instead of winning, he was finishing third. When he fixed the putting, with help from a new coach and a bit of equipment advice from Rory McIlroy, he soared yet again to the top of the game, but this time he seemed more indomitable, more inevitable, more brilliant.”

“The sustained success of the last three years has officially made him the best professional golfer since Tiger Woods, a conclusion supported by analytics, the eye test, and every other metric you could dream up. With fewer majors, he has nevertheless leaped past Spieth, McIlroy, and Koepka in terms of pure ability. He doesn’t have their legacy, yet, but if we’re talking about peak performance, he’s already surpassed them.”

“He’s so much better than everyone else, which is a sentiment that is both commonplace—I saw it on Twitter over and over again—and revelatory. It’s the thing you say because there is nothing else to say. You’re left with the wild truth, which words can describe but never capture.”

Full piece.

2. Aberg: I want to be No. 1

The AFP’s Simon Evans…”The 24-year-old finished second, four strokes behind winner Scottie Scheffler, after carding a final round 69 but he certainly won many admirers among the patrons at Augusta National and beyond.”

“And his performance has filled Aberg with self-belief.”

“Everyone in my position, they are going to want to be major champions. They are going to want to be world number one, and it’s the same for me, that’s nothing different,” he said.

“It has been that way ever since I picked up a golf club, and that hasn’t changed. So I think this week solidifies a lot of those things are there, and we just need to keep doing those things and put ourselves in positions to win tournaments, ” he said.

Full piece.

3. Homa’s honest answer on double bogey

Golf Channel staff report…”But Homa’s tee shot at No. 12 bounded off the putting surface and into a bush. After a healthy search, Homa found his ball and had to take an unplayable lie. He made double bogey, effectively ending his bid at a maiden major title.”

“Homa tied for third, seven shots back of Scheffler. Asked about what happened on the fateful 9-iron, Homa offered two replies.”

“The honest answer is, it didn’t feel fair. I hit a really good golf shot, and it didn’t feel fair. I’ve seen far worse just roll back down the hill,” he said.

“The professional answer is, these things happen.”

Full piece.

4. Harbour Town ahead

RBC Heritage field notes, via Adam Stanley of PGATour.com…”Scottie Scheffler is, for now, set to tee it up at the RBC Heritage. He was clear to say that if his wife, Meredith, would go into labor during the Masters, he would head home to be with her, so it’s safe to assume that same rule will stand at Harbour Town. Scheffler has not shot an over-par round all season and has three victories (and one runner-up). He made his debut at Harbour Town last year and finished T11… Matt Fitzpatrick looks to become the first golfer to go back-to-back at the RBC Heritage since Boo Weekley in 2007-08. Fitzpatrick, a playoff victor last year, has two top-10 finishes this season. He has just one missed cut at Harbour Town over the last six years and he finished fourth in 2021 to go along with two more top-15 results in a three-year span (T14 in 2018 and 2020)…”

“Jordan Spieth is hoping to continue his run of fine play at Harbour Town after a playoff loss last season and a playoff win the season prior. Spieth has five top-25 finishes at the RBC Heritage in seven starts… Justin Thomas earned a spot in the field after remaining in the top 30 (he’s No. 30) in the Official World Golf Ranking despite a missed cut at the Masters. Thomas, who finished T25 last season at Harbour Town, has two top 10s on the season… Ludvig Åberg, who is tops in the Aon Next 10, will head to Hilton Head for the first time. Åberg has had a fabulous 2024 campaign thus far with four top 10s (including two runner-up results) and is knocking on the door for a victory… Hideki Matsuyama was the only eligible player who did not commit to the RBC Heritage, while Viktor Hovland – after a missed cut at the Masters – withdrew from the field on Saturday.”

Full piece.

5. Reed’s caddie’s needle

Our Matt Vincenzi…”After a particularly bad drive during his third round on Saturday, Reed’s caddie, Kessler Karain, also his brother-in-law, made a snide but factual comment to Patrick.”

“Your driving has cost us a lot this week,” Karain remarked.

“Reed didn’t disagree and told reporters after the round that there was nothing good about his round…

“A reporter then asked: “It’s a good thing he’s a family member, right?”

“Yeah, exactly. I’d probably be dragging him up that last hole,” Reed said. “I swear.Just what you want to hear as you’re looking at the ball in the tree, and he goes, ‘You need to drive it better.’ Thanks, Kessler. I appreciate it. Great words of wisdom. Drive it better.”

“This may be the last major for Reed for a while, as the 33-year-old has not been invited nor qualified for next month’s PGA Championship.”

Full piece.

6. LIV wants Hovland next?

Ewan Murray for the Guardian…”Rising speculation that Viktor Hovland will be the next high-profile golfer to be coaxed to the LIV tour will increase the need for Ryder Cup Europe to apply a simple qualification process for golfers on the Saudi Arabian-backed circuit.”

“LIV is forging ahead with plans for 2025, which include new events and the recruitment of more players from the PGA and DP World Tours. The rate of turnover is likely to be increased by the number of golfers who had three-year contracts when joining LIV, which will expire at the end of 2024.”

“Chatter on the range at the LIV event in Miami this month and again at the Masters largely surrounded Hovland, the world No 6 who starred for Europe in the defeat of the United States in Rome last year. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, who also played in that team, have subsequently joined LIV. Hovland missed the cut at the Masters and promptly withdrew from the PGA Tour’s $20m stop in Hilton Head this week.”

Full piece.

7. Rory’s management: LIV reports are ‘fake news’

Brian Keogh for the Irish Independent…”A report that Rory McIlroy was on the verge of an $850million move to LIV Golf has been slammed as “fake news” by his management.

“Fake news. Zero truth,” McIlroy’s manager Sean O’Flaherty said in an email.

London financial paper “City AM” reported today that sources have told them that McIlroy “could” join LIV Golf

The paper reported that “two separate sources have told City AM that they believe a deal is close. It is claimed that LIV Golf chiefs have offered world No2 McIlroy an eye-watering $850m to join, plus around two per cent equity in the competition.”

Full piece.