Unlike their previous match in '18, this event will see all winnings donated to charityGETTY IMAGES
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will be joined by Tom Brady and Peyton Manning in a "golf match organized by AT&T’s WarnerMedia and the PGA Tour," an event that "would likely happen in May and would benefit charity," according to a source cited by Jabari Young of CNBC.com. Though "nothing is official, the event could take place live on Turner Sports' TNT channel or elsewhere in the WarnerMedia company, but is unlikely to be featured on pay-per-view." Officials coordinating the event also "plan to feature stars throughout" the PGA Tour, NFL and NBA. The match "would be held at an undisclosed location without fans, feature a small production crew to film," and each individual also would "obey the social-distancing recommendations to stay six-feet apart" (CNBC.com, 3/31).
NOT THE SAME: GOLF.com's Michael Bamberger writes this match will have "none of the baggage of Tiger v. Phil" in Las Vegas in '18, as that was a "gaudy winner-takes-all event with $9 million on the line." This event "would not be a cash-grab for either pro," but "would be a fundraiser for people who have suffered through the Covid-19 pandemic." The match "would be played at a Florida course." A match along these lines has been "under discussion for a while, but Woods and his camp had not shown particular interest in it." What has "changed is Woods' recognition of how serious this pandemic is." Bamberger: "It would be a welcome event. It would give sports-starved fans something to look forward to, give us an open window to help people in need. It would show us we're on a path to getting our old lives back" (GOLF.com, 4/1).
