The Match: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy to face Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy will face Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in the seventh edition of The Match. The event will take place on December 10 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.

It will be Woods’ third participation in The Match. In his first participation in 2018, Woods lost to Phil Mickelson when The Match still used the head-to-head format.

Later in 2021, he teamed up with Pro Bowler Peyton Manning and won over Mickelson and Tom Brady. Unlike Woods, the three other 2022 participants have never joined The Match.

Woods limited his activities in competitive golf after his serious car accident last year. This year, Woods’ most recent golf event was at the Old Course in July, where he missed the cut. He will host the Hero World Challenge from December 1 to 4, but it is uncertain whether he will play in the event.

McIlroy, on the other hand, won the 2022 Tour Championship this August before taking the first spot in CJ Cup. The Irish golfer reclaimed the No. 1 golfer title following the win. Spieth and Thomas also participated in the CJ Cup last week, but they only made it to T52 and T40, respectively.

This year’s event involves 12 holes, which analysts said would be suitable for a TV broadcast event. Turner Sports on TNT will broadcast the event from start to finish.

According to the organizer, all proceeds from the event will be used to help victims of Hurricane Ian. Last year, The Match raised $33 million and used most of the funds to provide meals for the needy through Feeding America.

Woods and his The Match partner, McIlroy, recently established TMRW Sports. The company aims to “build a progressive approach” in sports and media. They announced a number of high-profile investors last Wednesday, including entertainer Justin Timberlake, NBA star Stephen Curry and NFL player Josh Allen.

This year’s Match is not affiliated with any of Woods and McIlroy’s business, but their business partners are involved in the upcoming golf event.