Phil On Brady And Manning In Sunday's Match: "There is going to be a unique pressure"

USA Today’s Steve DiMeglio talks to Phil Mickelson about Sunday’s charity match fearing Tiger Woods/Peyton Manning vs. Mickelson/Tom Brady.

I’ve heard some apathy at the event despite what could be huge amounts of charitable dollars raised, but lost in some of that is just how difficult this will be for Brady and Manning. After all, we saw loose shots from four elite players in last Sunday’s TaylorMade Driving Relief event, and Mickelson notes that the two legendary quarterbacks will undoubtedly be humiliated by the game on national TV.

This alternate-shot wrinkle puts a lot of pressure on Brady and Manning.

“I give them a lot of credit for putting themselves out there because there is going to be a unique pressure,” Mickelson said. “But that’s why it’s going to be so much fun, because we are going to have mishaps and we are going to have some bad shots and we are going to laugh at ourselves.”

Mickelson also said there will be plenty of ribbing, unlike the near silence during his and Woods’ first match in Las Vegas. Each of the four players will be mic’d up, with each riding in their own cart. There will be no caddies or spectators.

I wish they could revisit the carts part, as it was pretty refreshing watching Rory and friends carrying their clubs Sunday.

Turner Sells Out Ad Space For The Match, And Then Some

As unemployment skyrockets and the world economy continues a virtual halt, it’s curious to see how much corporate support there is for The Match 2, both in sponsorship and in ad sales. While the below story notes the various sponsors and buyers were locked in a month ago, the support has remained in part because of the match shifting to a charity effort.

Adweek’s Kelsey Sutton reports on the overwhelming financial outlay that is going to the $10 million charitable payout when Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning tee up May 24th at The Medalist.

Turner Sports is hopeful The Match will attract lots of eyeballs, and so are its advertising partners. The broadcaster is using the partially remote production to feature some unique on-air sponsorship opportunities.

Cisco has signed on as a content integration partner, and Turner Sports will use the videoconferencing application Webex to bring remote guests to the screen during the telecast, said Will Funk, Turner Sports’ evp, sports partnerships and branded content. DraftKings, another content integration partner, will provide betting odds on challenges and stunts on different holes throughout the course, all of which feature a charitable payout.

(At Least) $10 Million To COVID-19 Relief: The Match Redux (Finally) Finalized For May 24th At Medalist

Mighty impressive dollar figures, causes and creative ways to keep our interest in what otherwise could be less interesting than it sounds. (By contrast, the PGA Tour/NBC/Taylor Made/UnitedHealth on May 17th is donating $3 million to COVID-19 charity from UnitedHealth and another $1 million from Farmers Insurance is going to a fund.)

Turner Sports to Exclusively Present “Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Charity” 

with Tiger Woods & Phil Mickelson Joined by Peyton Manning & Tom Brady 

in Blockbuster Live Golf Event Held Sunday, May 24, at 3 p.m. ET

$10 Million Charitable Donation Made to COVID-19 Relief;

Additional Fundraising to Include On-Course Challenges & Partnership with ALL IN Challenge

Showdown of Legendary Woods/Manning & Mickelson/Brady Pairings

Simulcast Across TNT, TBS, truTV & HLN

Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Charity to be Hosted at Prestigious Medalist Golf Club in Florida

Turner Sports will present Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Charity, a blockbuster live golf competition headlined by golf icons Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson returning for a rematch, this time joined by Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, two of the NFL’s greatest players of all time. The premier sports event – simulcast exclusively on TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN – will be held Sunday, May 24, at 3 p.m. ET, with pre-match coverage available in the Bleacher Report app. Associated with the live telecast, WarnerMedia and the golfers will collectively make a charitable donation of $10 million to benefit COVID-19 relief. As part of the fundraising efforts, the competition will also include a partnership with the ALL IN Challenge, along with additional on-course competitive challenges for charity.

Fundraising associated with Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Charity will support national and local beneficiaries, aiming to help make an impact on many of the communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations will be made to organizations working across multiple areas of need including Direct Relief, which equips health workers on the front lines with life-changing medical supplies; the American Red Cross, which has adapted its everyday emergency relief efforts to work within this new environment, including providing virtual support and collecting convalescent plasma for COVID-19 treatment; Save Small Business, a grant-making initiative to help small business employers who are struggling due to the pandemic; and the ALL IN Challenge, an initiative that aims to eliminate food insecurity by providing food to those in need.

In partnership with the ALL IN Challenge, all four participants will have donated custom experiences that will raise millions towards the cause, with viewers having the ability to enter into a live raffle for ones featuring Woods and Mickelson during the telecast as well.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unimaginable tragedy and heartbreak,” said Jeff Zucker, Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports. “We’re hopeful this event and platform will help raise meaningful funding for COVID-19 relief, while also providing a source of brief distraction and entertainment for all sports fans.

Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Charity, a sanctioned PGA TOUR event, will be held at the prestigious Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Fla. Opened in 1995, the renowned course acts as the home course to many PGA Tour players including Tiger Woods. In preparation for the event, tournament organizers are working with state and local government and public health officials on competition and production logistics to ensure the event follows safety and health protocols.

The competition will feature Woods and Manning vs. Mickelson and Brady, facing off in Team Match Play with a Four-Ball (Best Ball) format on the front nine and a Modified Alternate Shot format on the back nine, where each participant will tee off and then the team will play alternate shot from the selected drive. The unique combination of formats is aimed to provide an entertaining mix of strategy, team collaboration and consequence to nearly every shot. As part of the competitive play, there will also be a set of on-course challenges to raise additional charitable funds.

Live coverage airing on TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN will feature unprecedented access with all players having open mics throughout the entire competition, including the capability to communicate directly with other golfers and the broadcast commentators. More information on the live production, including the commentator team, will be announced leading up to the event. In addition to live televised coverage, social and digital content prior to the event will be available through Bleacher Report and House of Highlights.

The media agreement with WarnerMedia and Turner Sports was completed in partnership between Excel Sports Management and Lagardère Sports. Excel and Lagardère Sports are also the tournament organizers.

Turner Sports is proud to be working with a number of marketing partners to host Capital One’s The Match: Champions for Charity, in service of maximizing COVID-19 relief. Capital One is returning as title sponsor and will collaborate closely with Turner Sports on a number of social, digital and broadcast integrations leading up to and during the live event.

“At Capital One, we’re committed to supporting our customers, communities and partners through this difficult time, and that is why we are proud to be the returning title sponsor of Capital One's The Match: Champions for Charity. This wonderful event will bring four of the world's best athletes together for a tremendous cause," said Marc Mentry, Chief Brand Officer, Capital One. “Capital One knows our customers are passionate about sports, which is why we are excited to support this event and to help bring awareness to these amazing charities."

Presenting partners include Audi of America, Michelob ULTRA and Progressive Insurance. Content integration partners include Cisco and DraftKings, with AT&T, HBO Max, Callaway, Wheels Up and E-Z-GO serving as associate sponsors.

Woods and Mickelson previously faced off in Capital One’s The Match in November 2018 at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas. Tied following 18 holes, Mickelson won on the fourth playoff hole.

The format sounds like a fun way to take advantage of the admittedly odd foursome, inevitably forcing Tiger and Phil to play from some places they are not used to.

Here is the Ernie Johnson-hosted chat with the participants, Phil positioning his green jacket photo in less than subtle fashion, Tiger in the padded panic room again, Brady in the Four Seasons Vice Presidential suite and Peyton in front of a painting of Tapit.

The Match 2: Floridians React About How You'd Expect To Governor's Tweet

While the PGA Tour works on some of the logistical hurdles before signing off, The Match 2 with Woods, Mickelson, Brady and Manning is such a go that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis put in a social media plug.

As Garry Smits notes for the Times-Union, the news of a for-charity golf match went over about how you’d expect in a state where farmers are suffering and the unemployment process is failing. Well, unless you’re the governor.

As of 5:30 p.m., 45 of the first 53 replies to the DeSantis tweet were from people railing about the state’s inability to fix its unemployment web site, and criticizing DeSantis for trumpeting a golf match.

“I can’t afford cable and I’ll probably have to start selling all my stuff, like my TV ... because I’ve been pending on my unemployment since [March 22],” said one person.

“I can assure you, most people would rather know they’ll be getting paid than watch golf,” posted another.

“Ron, I’ll play you 18 holes for my unemployment benefits,” said another poster.

A date and golf course have not been announced.

Tiger Woods spoke from his padded panic room about the event to GolfTV, summarized here at GolfDigest.com by Daniel Rapaport.



Tiger, Phil Confirm The Match 2 Is On For May With Brady, Manning**

I’d hate to call this announcement premature since Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson both retweeted this report:

🚨 It’s official: @TigerWoods, Peyton Manning, @PhilMickelson and @TomBrady all on one golf course ️

The Match: Champions for Charity is coming soon exclusively on TNT. All proceeds will benefit COVID-19 relief ⛳️https://t.co/yJFIflsCht pic.twitter.com/OQcwiPTHCw

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 22, 2020

However, note in this story from The Action Network’s Darren Rovell (with additional reporting by Jason Sobel), that the PGA Tour has not officially signed off on the event. Even as independent contractors, players must get a release to play in any other competition not already sanctioned by the PGA Tour.

A PGA TOUR official told The Action Network’s Jason Sobel that Tiger and Phil would need to receive a “release form for them to play a televised or streamed event in the U.S.”

A TOUR official told Sobel, “We are still in discussions on a number of items, including ensuring the health and safety for all involved with the event.”

Obviously working through all safety protocols and considering precautions for such an event in the next month is a major process. As of April 1, the early details of this concept were out and the Tour was still mulling its position in these very fluid times.

That said, when the original “Match” was announced in 2018, all parties were aligned in sharing the news.

Florida Governor Wants Woods-Mickelson Match For Content-Starved World

Ron DeSantis has made sports an essential business in Florida, reports Jan Jankowski. He wants to generate content.

Gov. DeSantis said he is open to supporting more sporting events with no crowds.

“If NASCAR does a race and can televise it without having a large crowd, I think that’s a good thing,“ he said.

He also mentioned he would be open to seeing a Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson golf challenge in the state.

“We wouldn’t have a gallery there, you wouldn’t have crowds. But to put that on TV, I think people have been starved for content,” DeSantis said.

So the easy part is done: Florida will host The Match 2 or whatever they are reportedly cooking up in the name of COVID-19 charity.

Now the hard part for Phil and Tiger: getting a PGA Tour release.

Mickelson: "I don't think we've had massive equipment changes."

Phil Mickelson, speaking as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am defending champion and hot off a T3 in Saudi Arabia, touched on a number of topics Wednesday. Besides confirming he will not take a special exemption to the U.S. Open should he not be exempt, Mickelson answered this question about the USGA/R&A Distance Insights Study.

I’m not sure those who pay him lavishly to say that his equipment has helped him gain distance will be thrilled with Phil after this answer:

PHIL MICKELSON: Yeah, I don't know. I didn't really read anything tangible from the report. I only saw that they were, they didn't want each generation to continue getting longer and longer. I also don't feel that you should punish the athletes for getting better. I don't think that we have had massive equipment changes. We have just had athletes that have been able to take advantage of the equipment more so than in the past.

So no need to get this year’s driver? Got it. That would also mean if the equipment has peaked in offering a boost, there should be no harm in tweaking rules a tad to help restore some sanity, right? No.

And I hate to see that discourage. You look at what Bryson has done getting in the gym, getting after it, lifting weights, and hitting bombs, and now he's -- now you're talking about trying to roll it back because he's made himself a better athlete. So I don't know if I agree with that.

No one else in the world but PGA Tour pros. At least you recognized that…

But I also don't really understand the whole scope of how it affects the game and how it affects agronomy and golf courses and so forth, so I'm not sure I'm the best one to really comment on it. I just know from the small little bubble of the PGA TOUR, I hit a seeing the athletes be punished or discouraged from continuing to work and get better.

Now last I checked, if there is a rollback, golfers will keep everything they can to gain an advantage, including efforts to gain “speed.”

Mitzvah Alert: Mickelson Plays Saudi Pro-Am With Premier Golf League Founders

The Scotsman’s Martin Dempster tells us the amazing coincidence of all amazing coincidences: Phil Mickelson was paired up in Saudi Arabia’s European Tour pro-am round with founders of the Saudi-backed Premier Golf League.

After playing with Majed Al-Sorour, CEO of the Saudi Golf Federation, Colin Neville, of The Raine Group, London financier Andrew Gardiner and one other man only identified as “Richard,” Dempster quotes Mickelson has fascinated by the league concept.

“It was fascinating to talk with them and ask some questions and see what their plans are. Where they started, how they started, why and just got their background, which was very interesting.

“I haven’t had the chance to put it all together and think about what I want to say about it publicly, but I do think it was an informative day for me to have the chance to spend time with them.”

Who says pro-am rounds are a waste of time!

Jupiter Here He Comes: Mickelson Announces Florida Move As He Takes Over Coachella Valley Hosting Role

I’m not sure American Express expected their host whose foundation is now the centerpiece of a a revamped desert stop to announce he’s moving in a few years, but it’s Phil Mickelson’s world and they’re just living in it.

Rex Hoggard at GolfChannel.com reports on San Diego native Mickelson’s surprise announcement at the American Express press conference, his first as host and foundation beneficiary.

Mickelson, who is the host of this week’s event, said the family’s current plan is to move to Florida after his youngest child, Evan, graduates from high school in a year and a half.

Lefty would join a growing list of Tour players who call South Florida home including Tiger Woods, world No. 1 Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson.

Although Mickelson didn’t offer a reason for his potential move, in 2013 he suggested he might move out of California because of his federal and state tax bill, which he estimated had pushed his tax rate above 60 percent.

Mickelson also made clear he’s not moving there to be closer to the Champions Tour’s Chubb Classic. As long as his speed is up, Mickelson plans to keep playing the PGA Tour:

View this post on Instagram

@philmickelson doesn’t plan to stop bombing it anytime soon. 😂💣

A post shared by PGA TOUR (@pgatour) on Jan 15, 2020 at 2:07pm PST

Phil Being Phil Takes On New Dimensions After Saudi Arabia Decision

The focus on Phil Mickelson’s decision to play in Saudi Arabia next January continues to center around his choice more than any other player’s, largely because he should know better, writes GolfDigest.com’s Max Adler:

Now, there are other prominent American golfers likely banking large appearance fees for participating in the second edition of the Saudi European Tour event—like Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson, Tony Finau, and Brooks Koepka—but the heat is on Phil because presumably he should know better. A worldly man on the cusp of 50, knowledgeable on subjects as wide ranging as wine, dinosaurs and subcutaneous fat (and really almost any topic you care to bring up, many golfers say), should know that the staging of a popular western sport in a country whose values are so antithetical to our own comes with certain dilemmas that cannot be quickly dismissed. See the uproar between China and the NBA that’s now lasted over a month. Just last year Saudi Arabia directed the assassination of a dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, and so hosting a professional golf tournament is a stunt to rehabilitate its global image that the New York Times calls “Sportswashing”. Phil has to be aware of all this.

While Mickelson has rightfully taken his share of the heat, I find it remarkable that the European Tour has escaped equal criticism for sanctioning the event, even after the incriminating evidence against tournament host Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has mounted since the initial playing of las year’s event.

Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch addressed the larger topic of where players should be asked to draw the line on politically sensitive issues.

Phoenix Stop Disappointed To Lose Phil, Welcomes Him Back Should He Decide To Play In His 50s

Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com talked to Waste Management Open tournament director Tim Woods about losing longtime marquee entrant Phil Mickelson to Saudi Arabia’s second year European Tour event.

"Just one player doesn't move the needle for us," Woods said. "Think about Tiger. For me, I'd be lying again if I didn't want Tiger in our field, but when he doesn't play, we still break attendance records. And so it tells you that we're doing something above and beyond what's actually happening between the tee and the green."

If Mickelson does decide to return to the Phoenix Open, Tim Woods said he won't be rebuffed.

"Yeah, we're disappointed," Woods said, "but Phil is always welcomed back."

Mickelson is eligible to play in 2021 despite turning 50 next year. Though in one of the more unusual Twitter replies, Mickelson seemed to think hitting the half-century mark rendered him unable to ever play in Scottsdale again.

Given that I turn 50 this year, there’s a good chance I’ve played my last Phoenix Open. We’ll see.

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) December 3, 2019

Mickelson To End Incredible Phoenix Open Run For Crown Prince's Cash, Grow The Game Opportunity

As Alex Myers notes, Phil Mickelson has made 30 Phoenix Open starts, including 27 in a row, but the ASU great will end that run this year to play the second ever European Tour event in Saudi Arabia. The event is the brainchild of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, attempting to westernize the image of Saudi Arabia while regularly attacking journalists, including arresting more just last week on top of likely ordering the Jamal Koshaggi murder and dismemberment.

“I am really looking forward to playing in Saudi Arabia in January,” Mickelson told the Saudi Gazette. “I watched Dustin win the title last year and thought the course looked like an interesting challenge. Having so many talented players on show also made it look like a much more established tournament than one in its inaugural year. I have enjoyed my previous visits to the Middle East and am looking forward to playing in a new country and doing my bit to grow the game in the Kingdom.”

While other players deserve their fair share of grief for supporting the regime by accepting lavish appearance fees, Mickelson is too enlightened, worldly and successful to be falling back on the “grow the game” sham.

Given the Saudi stop’s date, this likely rules out Mickelson from playing his hometown Torrey Pines event. He skipped last year’s Farmers Insurance Open in an effort to target events with course design and setup more befitting his style of play. What the Saudi event does, besides replenish a bank account, is beyond me.

Hope! Mickelson Becomes Host To PGA Tour's Desert Stop

Along with a blue chip sponsor in American Express, the once-vital Bob Hope Classic now has a blue chip host in Phil Mickelson, who expands his role as the tournament’s front man.

Larry Bohannan with all of the Desert Sun details, including these comments from Phil, who even put on his best flip-flops for the presser.

“The last couple of years, we asked to give us a few years to really showcase what this tournament can do, and have needed and had the help of many people,” Mickelson said, specifically pointing to officials with Discovery Land, developer of Madison Club and other desert courses, and Lagardere Sports, which operates the tournament for non-profit Desert Classic Charities.

“Now we have the partner that we want to bring it to a whole other level,” Mickelson said, a reference to the new five-year sponsorship deal with American Express. “American Express asked that myself and my foundation take on a bigger role, the PGA Tour asked me to take on a bigger role. My wife and I, Amy, we’ve decided this is the right fit, and we want to have a more direct involvement with the charitable support and donation here in the valley.”

Mickelson: "I just haven't been mentally as sharp the last six, eight months."

As Phil Mickelson’s 26-year(!) streak inside the world top 50 came to an end last week, he reflected on his struggles of late and offered this candid assessment. From Will Gray at GolfChannel.com:

"I just haven't played well. Just had a lot of stuff going on, and I just haven't been really focused and into the mental side," Mickelson said. "I haven't seen good, clear pictures. I haven't been as committed and as connected to the target. I just haven't been mentally as sharp the last six, eight months."

For someone so eternally confident in his ability to concentrate, it’s a stark sign of how difficult the game is even for an all time great, but also a reminder just how long Mickelson has maintained the drive and focus necessary to compete.

Mickelson Concedes His Epic Cup Appearance Streak Is Coming To An End

Of the many incredible “streaks” in golf history, few speak to a level of consistency over nearly 25 years than Phil Mickelson’s Cup run. Since 1994 he has played on every Presidents and Ryder Cup team.

Sean Martin reporting on Mickelson’s pre-CJ Cup press conference concession that a 2019 Presidents Cup Captain’s pick is unlikely and undeserved.

“There are much better options of players that have played consistently at a high level that deserve to be on the team,” Mickelson told reporters at the CJ Cup. “Even if I were to win, I have not done enough to warrant a pick.

In that time, Mickelson has won 21.5 Ryder Cup points and 32.5 Presidents Cup points.

He holds the record for most matches played in the Ryder Cup, most appearances and is just two points shy of Billy Casper’s all time American mark.