The golf world is abuzz with confirmation that 15-time major champion Tiger Woods will team-up early next month with Rory McIlroy to take on Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in The Match, on Saturday December 10 at the Pelican Golf Club in Florida.
It’s been rightfully reported this will be Woods’ first appearance in a golf event since those highly-emotional scenes last July at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews.
However, there’s a golf event featuring 20 of the world’s best players taking place a week earlier and Woods is the tournament host, and that’s the Hero World Challenge on the Albany course in the Bahamas.
There are officially three spots remaining into the November 28th commencing event and while there is a fellow Open Champion, with an Irish accent looking to accept one, I’m sticking my neck out to declare Woods will probably tee-up in the Hero-backed event.
And a week after The Match, December 17th to be precise, is the staging of the PNC Challenge at the Ritz Carlton course in suburban Orlando.
Who remembers those endearing scenes last year with Woods and his young son, Charlie competing alongside the ‘old man’ in Woods’ long-anticipated return since the events of February last year?
Any son, who clearly enjoyed himself as much as young Charlie did last year, would be pleading with Dad to take him back to the tournament. You can hear Charlie saying: “Please Dad! Please Dad! We have to play as it was so much fun last year.”
Back to The Match as it will mark a third Woods’ third time playing in the event. He participated in the inaugural event in a head-to-head battle with Phil Mickelson. In 2020 he paired with Peyton Manning, where they beat Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady at the Medallist Club close to Woods’ home.
This year’s event will see McIlroy, Thomas and Spieth making their debut in the 12-hole event under lights.
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