12 Takeaways From 'The Match': Tiger's Back, Jordan Spieth/Justin Thomas Win and More
The sixth iteration of "Capital One's The Match" was held Saturday under the lights at Pelican Golf Club in Bellaire, Fla., with Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas defeating Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, 3 and 2.
There were plenty of storylines, from the setting and the broadcast, to the participants and more. Here are 12 takeaways from 'The Match':
1. Still the Dynamic Duo
Spieth and Thomas were the betting favorites at -120, and at this point that's a steal on those two in any match, anywhere.
The last time we saw them together, Spieth and Thomas went 4-0 at the Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow, running their Ryder/Presidents Cup team record to 8-2 all time.
At Pelican Golf Club they didn't miss a beat, going 3 up through four holes and coasting from there, winning 3 and 2 with seven birdies in the 10 holes. The banter was flying from the two all night and they backed it all up. Afterward they had one last dig for the current world No. 1 and the all-time great.
2. Tiger’s Game
An abbreviated, best-ball match is probably not the best place to analyze Woods's game. And given how little he has played, probably unfair, too.
Woods did show glimpses of greatness—his drive at the first hole, his approach to the 6th, a nice chip at the 7th, a nice ripped driver at the 10th—but also plenty of rustiness and, unfortunately, a pretty pronounced limp at times.
That latter was expected. It’s basically what we saw during the limited golf he played in 2022. Throw in the plantar fasciitis he disclosed that caused him to withdraw from the Hero World Challenge, and even a limited amount of walking was going to be difficult.
Prior to the round, Woods said he “hadn’t hit a ball in two-and-a-half weeks"—perhaps to downplay expectations or as a matter of gamesmanship. He did produce 180-mph ball speed while warming up on the range, which was a good sign.
That Woods played at all and appeared to enjoy it was perhaps the best outcome. He’s playing with his son, Charlie, at the PNC Championship next weekend. That will also include a pro-am round. Even in a golf cart, it’s a lot of golf. Woods said he basically needs to rest his foot, and that will commence soon. When he can return will continue to be the subject of great conjecture.
3. JT Brings It
Thomas brought the heat Saturday, both with his clutch play and his increasingly clever one-liners.
Thomas was on fire from the start, draining a long-range birdie putt on the 2nd hole and following it up with a rather creative celebration: a shrug. The two-time major champion then made a miraculous par during the one-club challenge that included a bump-and-run 5-wood to 6 feet.
The banter between Thomas and Charles Barkley was one of the highlights of the night: The two had a nonstop back and forth. After broadcasters pointed out the full moon overlooking the course, Thomas even muttered, “Chuck’s looking at that moon like it’s an Oreo.” The chirp came out of nowhere, but in the best way possible. Barkley himself had to give Thomas a pat on the back, “OK, JT!” he said among a fit of laughter from the booth.
It’s almost as if the opportunity for a little back and forth humor helps Thomas keep his game even more in-tune. That quality makes him a perfect fit for mic’d-up matches.
4. Rory Wasn't at His Best and He Needed to Be
Tonight’s match just didn’t go the world No. 1’s way. McIlroy was set for a night of pressure, with his partner Woods noting before the round that he hadn’t swung a club in two weeks.
Although Woods's game held up, you could tell from McIlroy's disjoined body language that almost every shot he hit wasn’t up to his standards. Plus, the four-time major winner got some incredibly unlucky breaks. On the one-club challenge hole, his solid tee shot with a 3-iron ended up in a divot. A handful of his missed putts were hard lip-outs.
During the second half of the match, things started to turn around. McIlroy hit an impressive recovery shot with a fairway wood through a set of trees on the 7th hole, followed by a beautiful birdie putt. It was the first hole won by Woods and McIlroy, but it came a bit too late.
In the post-round interview McIlroy did not hide his frustration, but he did say that he hopes this match isn’t his last. That's probably a safe bet.
5. Tiger and One Club
The one-hole challenge aspect of the competition is something that would be cool to see more often. Watching pros get creative and hit different shots with the same club demonstrates their skills even more.
Woods hit a big, sweeping second shot with a 5-iron on the par-4 challenge hole that had all the hallmarks of his immense creativity. He had to chip with the club as well. He made a double bogey on the hole, but it was still interesting.
Imagine doing it for an entire nine holes. Or being allowed to choose just one club per hole.
6. About That One-Club Challenge ...
The fourth hole was the highlight of the night, watching the four greats choose a club and then have to make it work the entire way on the par 4.
The rule was they couldn't all choose the same club, and they picked in order of honors from the previous hole. Spieth chose first with a 4-iron, Thomas chose his 5-wood, McIlroy pulled a 3-iron and Woods at first wouldn't say what he had, though later in the hole everyone found out it was a 5-iron.
The choices made for challenges indeed. McIlroy's drive landed in a divot in the fairway and he had to cut his 3-iron out of it, which didn't work and he ended up chipping with that club out of pine straw.
Thomas said from the fairway that his 5-wood would be too much and he was right, blowing it over the green only to be saved by a parked golf cart. From there, Spieth and TNT's Kathryn Tappen provided one of the pictures of the night by holding up a wire so Thomas could chip under it.
In a microcosm of the night, Thomas expertly chipped it to 6 feet and then buried the putt with the 5-wood. Terrifically entertaining stuff.
7. Charles Barkley's Dishes It and Takes It
Barkley is a fixture at 'The Match' and it never takes him long to get revved up with the wisecracks.
Before the opening tee shots there was some banter with Thomas about his recent wedding, and Barkley said "it’s early, you might have it over again." Thomas shook his head, as a newlywed should.
When Thomas and Spieth opened up their early lead, Barkley said "we better make it to 12 holes because TNT has another 752 commercials to air."
Barkley and Thomas continued their banter all night, at one point Thomas said the eighth installment of "The Match" would be "Chuck vs. a plate of cheese fries."
Even Barkley had to laugh at that one.
8. Life Without the Caddies
We all know professional caddies give their players a significant amount of help on the course. But during “The Match,” it became clear what kind of help in particular the players were missing.
Caddies were not part of the made-for-TV event, and it was evident from the start. There were several instances in the beginning of the match when neither Woods, McIlroy, Spieth nor Thomas remembered to pick up the flagstick after the completion of the hole. On the 3rd hole, Thomas made note of it, “Can one of you guys remember a damn pin?” Seeing Spieth walk up the tee with two club options and a towel in hand was quite the sight, as was Woods with a rangefinder.
On the 8th hole, Spieth went long of the green, and turned back to the group saying, “Greller, don’t look at us.” McIlroy and Thomas then proceeded to yell, “Michael! Michael!” in the background.
Originally it seemed as though the lack of caddies would be a missed opportunity for entertaining caddie-player conversations, but in the end their absence provided a hilarious twist as the players focused their chatter on each other.
9. More Under the Lights?
They did a good job of lighting the Pelican Golf Club course, which is no easy task. The lights could be seen from miles away and it provided something different which is worth trying again.
Could you stage a real tournament this way? Probably not. It’s too many players in too short of a window.
But what if you had a limited-field event in which the tee times simply began in the mid-to-late afternoon and had groups finishing under the lights? It would not be for everyone, but it would be popular.
Instead of early-morning tee times, you could have some that begin as late as 6 p.m. Or, if lighting the entire course is a problem, set the tee times so the final groups would finish in the dark.
The marketing and spectator possibilities around such an event would be endless, and prime-time golf at the right time of year would be popular. Of course, you better require that all spectators arrive and leave via a ride-sharing service.
10. Playing Under the Lights
As a viewer, the floodlights at Pelican Golf Club made “The Match” intriguing. Seeing Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas shape shots through the night sky gave the broadcast a whole new look. Plus, each of the players drove golf carts equipped with headlights, and the shots of the foursome whipping through the lit fairways were priceless.
But the competitors themselves may not have rated playing under the lights so highly.
Throughout “The Match,” the nighttime environment proved to be a significant challenge for the four superstars. You’d think that there would only be a few shots significantly impacted by darkness, off-line drives in particular. In reality, the shadows and altered sight lines under the lights influenced the entire round. On the practice green before the match began, Spieth even noted that his depth perception felt off.
On one tee box, we heard Thomas lamenting the position of his own shadow, which was shading his golf ball. On several greens, competitors looked up in disbelief as their putts moved in directions that they would never have guessed.
Night golf might seem like a more relaxed setting for golf, but it presents some obstacles.
11. How About the Show?
For the television viewers, night golf is a different watch that takes getting used to. Without Top Tracer it would be considerably frustrating; the players said several times they couldn't follow their shots, so how would viewers expect to?
Televised golf always flattens the topography of courses, and in the half-darkness it was even tougher to see the contours around the greens. From a pure golf standpoint it will never match up to daytime, but the novelty is really what it's all about.
12. Who Were All Those Spectators?
For all the talk about how "The Match" could help share the game with a wider audience, the organizers did themselves no favors by only allowing a select few to attend.
There was no public sale of tickets. So who were all those people? A decent-sized gallery was on hand, comprised of Pelican Golf Club members and high rollers who paid $1,500 for the privilege of being there. That doesn’t exactly suggest "growing the game."
Pelican Golf Club is an original Donald Ross design that opened in 1927 within a few miles of the Gulf of Mexico. For years, it was a public course that was overhauled by Beau Welling—who is the lead designer for Woods' design firm—and turned into a private venue. It’s a shame more people couldn’t see it.
Clearly, a spectator experience for such an event was going to be limited. So why not a local lottery with some reasonable prices that would add to the charitable component? It’s rare to get to see Tiger Woods—not to mention, to a lesser degree Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth—in person. And it’s unfortunate more people didn’t have the opportunity.