On November 7th details of the newest chapter of “The Match” series was announced, and I am enthralled! Not only is the lineup stacked with superstars, but they’re also going to be playing under the lights at Pelican Golf Club! Let me say that one more time, golf under the lights! I don’t know about you, but that alone is something to get excited about.
To top it all off, Tiger Woods will be back on the course partnered with current world #1 Rory McIlroy! Tiger has likely done more for the game of Golf than any player in history, aside from maybe Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. During the 2019 World Golf Championship, he hit one of the most remarkable golf shots I’ve ever seen. Former Rider Cup Captain Paul Azinger described the shot as coming from “Tiger the Artist” in pure astoundment as Tiger was able to bend the ball around a group of trees, landed more than twenty feet left of the hole then suddenly ricocheted to the right toward the hole. In Tiger’s recent absence from Golf’s spotlight, while continuing to recover from a terrifying car crash, Rory has stepped up as the new face of the PGA Tour. Watching Rory’s driver swing in slow motion repeatedly makes me joyfully envious, wishing I’d have accepted my high school golf coach’s invitation to the team after I quit playing baseball.
The challengers? None other than Tiger’s close friend and University of Alabama Alum (Roll Tide!) Justin Thomas and 2015 Master’s Champion Jordan Spieth! Justin and Jordan are both young energetic faces who take the game and their performances very seriously. While both have had their struggles over the last few years (though I would take their Golf struggles over my own), they are both artists in their own right.
The match is slated for 12 holes at Pelican which measures a shade under 7,000 yards from the tips and has a pretty difficult rating (72.9) and slope (129). Just like the previous contests, this iteration will be a benefit for charity. Proceeds from this year’s “The Match” will go to benefit Hurrican Ian relief efforts.
The event will be broadcast on TNT with simulcasts on truTV, TBS, HLN, and Bleacher Report. It’s worth noting that all the players will be mic’d up for the event, and given Tiger and JT’s history of trash talk, ought to be entertainment in itself!
