The Match Running Thread

[Chef2]

Prediction.

Tiger shoots 67.
Phil shoots 70.

Tiger donates all 9 million to fight the fires.
Phil donates 1 million to fight the fires.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Prediction: More people "watch" the match via social media updates and illegal streams than actually pay for it.

 

[playthrough]

I took a little flyer on Phil at +175 'cause I think his juices will be fully flowing. His golf bag will be filled with bundles of C-notes and he'll wear out Tiger with side action. Of course, Tiger could let him take all the side bets he wants and still drill him in the match. But this seems like the kind of meaningless thing Phil would win, while Tiger can fall back on "14 and 80" smack talk -- which does the job pretty well.

I won't be watching, I'll be stealing peeks at social media like @Inky_Wretch said. The price is stupid and could have been handled so much better. Couldn't Callaway or Bridgestone have gotten behind this for their guys and maybe tossed in a couple sleeves of balls with the $19.99?

 

[Chef2]

The side bets and them being miked up will be intriguing.
Will be funny to hear Tiger with an unbleeped "****ing Tiger." when he hits one into the desert.

 

[DanOregon]

It's match play so they'll be picking up and halving a few - no chance to get a clear idea about scores. Honestly, giving all the money to a charity would be a good play for golf. Regularly. Particularly if they tied it in to "Giving Tuesday" ahead of the holidays.

 

[playthrough]

It's match play so they'll be picking up and halving a few - no chance to get a clear idea about scores. Honestly, giving all the money to a charity would be a good play for golf. Regularly. Particularly if they tied it in to "Giving Tuesday" ahead of the holidays.

Surely this thing is set up well on the back end for both guys to make out like bandits, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the winner give the $9 mil to charity and soak up the accolades. The PGA Tour probably already has its charity messaging in place for just that.

 

[HanSenSE]

Are side bets coming out of their own pockets, or is there a sponsor for that.

 

[Chef2]

Are side bets coming out of their own pockets, or is there a sponsor for that.

Own pockets.

 

[qtlaw]

As well as Tiger played at end of year, I agree with a sports writer who said this is in Phil’s wheelhouse, a free wheeling bet game, not a tournament setting. It’s got Phil written all over it; plus Phil’s scouting Shadow Creek while Tigers in Florida.

 

[trifectarich]

Prediction: Mickelson hits a ball in motion four times on the first green; gets DQ'd. The whole show is over in 12 minutes.

 

[Guy_Incognito]

Prediction: Mickelson hits a ball in motion four times on the first green; gets DQ'd. The whole show is over in 12 minutes.

And then bites Tiger's ear off!

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Prediction: Mickelson hits a ball in motion four times on the first green; gets DQ'd. The whole show is over in 12 minutes.

Only if there's a Vegas prop that Phil can get down on.

 

[Deskgrunt50]

The fake smack talk and rollout of this hasn’t been good. So forced.

I’m a person who should want to watch but have no interest.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

The fake smack talk and rollout of this hasn’t been good. So forced.

I’m a person who should want to watch but have no interest.

They don't hate each other like they used to, but neither are they the kind of friends whose needling on the course could actually be funny and worth watching. It's just meh.

 

[DanOregon]

The birdie bet on 1 was pretty shrewd. People will have to buy before instead of waiting to see the react on social media.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Based on the dearth of posts on social media, this sure seemed like a dud.

 

[HanSenSE]

Whoops!

Some lucky viewers got free access to the Tiger vs. Phil online pay-per-view stream - Golf Digest

 

[Slacker]

"I know big picture, your career is the greatest of all time," Mickelson, who has 43 career victories and five majors, said of Woods. "I've seen you do things that are just remarkable. But just know I will not ever let you live this one down. I will bring it up every time I see you."

Mickelson then referred to a champion's belt that Friday's winner received, telling Woods, "I will wear this belt buckle every time I see you."

LOL. Stay classy, champ.

Phil bests Tiger on 22nd hole, wins $9M 'Match'

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Just part of the lame WWE atmosphere. Mickelson's not cut out for that. Neither is Woods, really.

 

[Cosmo]

My friend's dad ordered this because he's a total golf nut, and he even seemed underwhelmed. I watched a good deal of it, and it was pretty blah. For one, a single match-play match has so much dead time built in that it's going to be difficult to keep it entertaining over the course of four-plus hours. Neither one could make a putt to save his life. As an event idea, it was cool I suppose. There was just something missing.