Are you telling me that there is live golf two weeks in a row? It seems crazy but it’s true and I could not be more excited. The TaylorMade Driving Relief 2020 Skins Game was a lot of fun to watch and NBC could not have asked for a better finish. It came down to one shot from four players closest to the hole wins and the number one player in the world, Rory McIlory won it for his team. I’d like to personally thank Dustin Johnson for struggling throughout the match which helped Fantasy Alarm subscribers win money during my live chat session on Sunday afternoon.
This week we’ve got The Match: Champions for Charity at Medalist Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida. Tiger Woods teams up with Peyton Manning to battle Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson in a match play event. Tiger and Peyton have 17 championships between them while Tom and Phil have a combined 11. The live TV coverage begins Sunday afternoon at 2pm eastern on TNT, TBS, truTV, HLN and CNN international. These two teams are playing for various COVID-19 charities.
This will be an 18-hole match play event with a few slight changes. The format will be four-ball for holes 1-9 with the amateur players (Manning & Brady) getting three handicap strokes on the nine. They will get one stroke on a par 3, a par 4 and a par 5 which will be decided by a committee. The back nine will be a modified alternate shot format. All four of the players will tee off for themselves but once the drive has been selected, they will start alternating shots. There will also be a bunch of on course challenges to raise more money for charity as well. For example, the 5th hole, the players will only be allowed to play the entire hole with one club.
MEDALIST GOLF CLUB
This is another one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the world. The course was originally designed by Greg Norman and Pete Dye in 1995. We’ve got a pretty close to PGA Tour standard layout at 7,133 yards and a Par 72. Phil Mickelson said that he's looking forward to beating Tiger once again and this time on his home track.
THE COMPETITORS
I don’t think I really have to say much about these four men. They are all well known for their crafts and how much they have accomplished in their careers. I think the most important thing for our readers is to know how good Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are at golf. If you don’t know, players who are not professionals have handicaps according to their skill level. The lower the handicap, the better the player. Peyton is a three and a half and Tom is an eight. These two have played together numerous times and know each other's skill levels. After we heard the smack talk from Peyton during their zoom press conference, I'm sure we'll be in for much more on Sunday.
BEST BETS
These bets and odds are on the DraftKings Sportsbook right now. These are my favorite bets to place before the event begins. These are in no particular order.
Match Winner - Woods/Manning (-225)
I do not like these odds at all but I at least wanted to state my pick to win. I personally would not bet it myself but feel free.
Leader After 3 Holes - Mickelson/Brady (+200)
I think overall the Woods/Manning team will win this event but I like Mickelson/Brady to come out early because we all know Woods loves the drama of the back nine on Sunday. I’d say bet the underdog early.
First to Go 1 Up - Mickelson/Brady (+120)
Tiger has a flair for the dramatic and I think they start a little slow as a team. Manning also likes to yuck it up like he did in their smack talk session. I think Phil and Tom come out all business and take the early lead.
Hole 1 Winner - Mickelson/Brady (+335)
This goes along with my theory that Phil and Tom will come out all business and take it to Peyton and Tiger. I think the Manning/Woods team will win in the end but they will battle back to take it. Why not take some good odds on the 1st hole?
Phil Mickelson Birdie on Hole 1 - Yes (+500)
Gonna keep the trend going and believe that Phil takes it to Tiger on the first hole.
Hole 4 - Nearest to the Hole after Tee Shot - Manning (+500)
This is the shortest of the Par 3s on the course and pretty straight forward. I know this is straight up against two of the most decorated golfers in the history of the game but why not take good odds on a 3 handicap to hit a nice shot. I have played with players who are way better than me but occasionally I can hit a better shot than them. That’s what I’m banking on here.
Good luck