Inside The Vikings

Adam Thielen Wants Next in 'The Match' After Success of Brady vs. Peyton

The Vikings star staked his claim to appear in the next NFL celebrity golf match, if there is one.

Will Ragatz

The sports world was captivated on Sunday by "The Match 2.0," a nationally televised golf event that pit Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson against Peyton Manning and Tiger Woods. It was the follow-up to November 2018's "The Match," a solo clash between Mickelson and Woods that was generally viewed as a disappointment.

Despite plenty of rain coming down in South Florida, Sunday's event was an overwhelming success. The on-course banter between participants – as well as commentators like Charles Barkley and Justin Thomas – was excellent, and all four golfers had some strong moments. 

In the end, Manning and Woods emerged victorious. But more importantly, the event raised $20 million in COVID-19 relief and provided fantastic entertainment for a country that has been without major American sports for almost three months.

Michael Rosenberg: 'The Match II' Reminds Us What Golf Is Really About

If there's a third edition of the event, Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen wants in. He expressed that desire on Twitter on Monday, asking PGA star Rickie Fowler to be his teammate.

Thielen's tweet was clearly a joke, but he is an avid golfer who has participated in several celebrity events before. He is a two-time participant in The Showdown, a tournament led by Aaron Rodgers and Chris Paul that pits NFL players against NBA players in the Bahamas. Thielen has also played in the American Century Championship that Tony Romo has won two years in a row, and the 3M Open in the Twin Cities. His foundation has also hosted numerous events at TopGolf in Minnesota.

Thielen doesn't have a ranch to golf on during quarantine like Mike and Adam Zimmer do, but he has been spending time indoors using his golf simulator.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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