It was all fun and games at The Park as Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang lined up for the ninth iteration of Capital One’s The Match, competing under the lights in a 12-hole charity skins match.
But 12 holes weren’t enough as the final three holes were pushed and the event went to a sudden-death, closest to the pin playoff that forced to quartet to play a 100-yard shot. That final skin was worth a colossal $1.6 million thanks to the three straight pushes that meant the money for winning a hole carried over and was added to the next, plus a generous anonymous donation of $500,000.
McIlroy, was already leading by $600,000 thanks to wins on the fourth hole, which was a one-club challenge and he got up and down with his 5-wood, the par-5 sixth where he was the only player to make birdie, and at the eighth where par was enough to claim his third skin, taking his total to $800,000. But with the elevated value of the final skin, he was still there for the taking.
In the playoff, McIlroy was first to play and a delicious wedge to 4′ 2″ proved unbeatable, taking his tally on the night to $2.4 million and he got the bonus of being awarded a golden Tiffany bracelet for his efforts.
THIS RORY SHOT WAS UNBELIEVABLE 🤯#CapitalOnesTheMatch pic.twitter.com/I0Sk23uInC
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 27, 2024
His $2.4 million haul will go to the First Tee organisation – a youth development organization introducing the game of golf and its inherent values to young people.
“I just think (I will remember) how much fun it was, being out here with Max and Rose and Lexi and playing at such a great facility,” McIlroy said. “All these people out here, the atmosphere, it was a really cool night.”
While past iterations of ‘The Match’ have proven a little forced, there was a free-flowing ease between the four players and the good natured conversation and gentle ribbing was neither forced nor crass and all four players were very complimentary of the experience.
Being the first match of the series to feature LPGA stars alongside their PGA Tour counterparts, Zhang hoped it was a sign of things to come.
“It’s definitely an inspiration for me and all the other younglings who are kind of growing the game,” said Zhang. “I’ll definitely take it to heart and hopefully have more opportunities to come, going forward,” and Thompson echoed those sentiments.
“Just from being in this kind of environment, it’s kind of my first time and definitely outside of my comfort zone. It just makes me so excited to see what’s to come,” Zhang added.
Homa was full of praise for the setting and for the event which has now raised a total of $41 million for charity across the series of matches.
“This is what golf should be more like,” said Homa.
This was McIlroy’s second appearance in The Match, having lost out on his debut when he partnered Tiger Woods against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in The Match number 7.
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