News

The Refund: Bleacher Report, cable providers to give viewers money back for The Match

Published

8 years ago

Nov 24, 2018

Viewers who shelled out $19.99 to watch The Match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be getting their money back. Bleacher Report, Comcast, Spectrum, and other providers have all confirmed they will issue refunds.

Comcast was the first to give to act, issuing a statement late Friday

“Comcast will proactively issue a $19.99 credit to any Xfinity TV customer who purchased ‘The Match’ pay-per-view event. We hope Turner and Bleacher Report will do the same given that the event was made available by them for free on The Bleacher Report website,”

Owing to a glitch in the purchasing mechanism prior to tee off, Bleacher Report elected to make the pay-per-view event, well, not pay-per-view, removing the paywall on B/R Live, thus allowing streaming users to watch the event for free. Those who did purchase the event ahead of time will receive a refund.

In a statement, per ESPN’s Darren Rovell, a Turner representative explained the decision

“We decided to take down the paywall to ensure that fans who already purchased the event would not miss any action. This did not impact the live streaming of the competition and fans were treated to an event that was both engaging and memorable. Unfortunately, the prematch technical issue did occur, and we will offer fans who purchased the event on B/R Live a refund.”

According to USA Today, AT&T, the parent of DirecTV and U-Verse, Cox, and Dish/Sling will issue refunds/credits as well.

It’s unclear, as of Saturday night, if any providers are yet to give viewers their money back. However, it seems reasonable to assume that all will do so.

Nicholas Masafumi Watanabe, a sport and entertainment management professor at the University of South Carolina, told A.J. Perez of USA Today the event needed around 700,000 buys at the $19.99 price point to break even.

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

13 Comments

Keto 500 Diet

Mar 7, 2019 at 7:02 pm

An intriguing discuesion is worth comment. I believe that you need to write more
on this subject matter, it may not be a taoo matter but
generally people do not talk about such issues. To thee next!

Many thanks!!

Reply Report comment
Patch Adams

Dec 19, 2018 at 3:57 pm

How can I rewatch the Match? Does anyone have a source?

Reply Report comment
Nihonsei

Nov 26, 2018 at 7:17 pm

To boot, every pick I made did not register hole to hole. The rules stated 60 seconds to make a pick upon completion of previous hole. I had 18 red boxes and gave up after the 19th. Pissed and pissed away money. Refund welcome here!

Reply Report comment
Jack Nash

Nov 26, 2018 at 12:33 pm

The Sporting version of Al Capone’s Vault. 2 mega flops on tv.

Reply Report comment
JThunder

Nov 25, 2018 at 11:09 pm

Wow, just absolutely an epic fail on all counts.

If you needed proof that millionaires and corporate conglomerates are NOT as smart as they keep telling you they are.

Can’t get a simple match on PPV without crashing, and the whole hyped thing ends on a pitch-n-putt par 3.

Everyone involved should be fired and all money involved be given to charity. Or will the two proud California patriots pocket the unneeded cash while their state burns and people die?

Reply Report comment
Charkle Barkles

Nov 25, 2018 at 6:56 pm

Cost ’em $100’s of dollars? Ha, that’s generous! You mean, like $80!! Worst clown car show since the snake oil salesmen of the 1800’s!
Well done guys, well done. Way to bring more questionable credibility to two enititled nincompoops living above the law! Between the D.U.I. nonsense, tax dodging, womanizing, car wrecking, scandalous behavior goin’ on…………I mean, I’m just sick of both ‘o deez jokers!! Please get the other robot into the “I’m still active Golf Hall Of Shame…..errrrrrrr Hall Of Infamy……….errrrr, I mean Hall Of Flames!” Please admit ‘im, so we can go on with our lives and keep an eye out for someone NEW!!!!! PLEASE!!!

Reply Report comment
Nutted One 240 Down The Middle

Nov 25, 2018 at 6:49 pm

I think this thing went down as a bigger flop than the WRX community orig. predicted

Reply Report comment
Johnny Penso

Nov 25, 2018 at 5:32 pm

“Oh crap, we have a technical glitch. Only 156 people have purchased the pay per view and we go live in two hours. What do we do?”

“I have an idea….”

Reply Report comment
Brian McGranahan

Nov 25, 2018 at 8:37 am

This is going to cost them hundreds of dollars!

Reply Report comment
larrybud

Nov 25, 2018 at 5:56 am

This means that they had about 100 paid subscribers and don’t want to give those details, right?

Reply Report comment
- NormW
  
  Nov 26, 2018 at 2:32 pm
  
  Yes! “Needed 700,000”. Yet to state how many they got. Speak-up Media and Golf Channel suck-ups.
  
  Reply Report comment
Tom

Nov 25, 2018 at 3:22 am

If you aren’t playing with your own money, it should be called ‘The Sham’ not ‘The Match’

Reply Report comment
James

Nov 24, 2018 at 9:02 pm

I’ll pay for the next one if I know I’m getting my money back. Now, Phil needs to return money to Tiger.

Reply Report comment

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

14 mins ago

Jun 3, 2026

Ben A

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

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News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

2 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase