Phil Mickelson eager for Tiger Woods ‘The Match’ renewal, but could pal Steph Curry be his playing partner?
- Five-time major winner says he would like to play another one-on-one contest with Masters champion Woods
- Pair had a match play duel last year, which attracted much attention
Five-time major champion Phil Mickelson says he wants to run back his 2018 head-to-head duel against Masters champion Tiger Woods, and suggested the duo could be joined by “other athletes” in a pairs format next time around.
“I really enjoyed it,” Mickelson said. “I hope that Tiger and I will do more events like that in the future with partners, because we didn’t have enough talking between us and I think that a partner will have more interaction.
“[The partners] could be other athletes, that would bring a certain element too,” added Mickelson, who enjoys a warm friendship with Golden State Warriors basketball star Stephen Curry and with whom he recently partnered in a pro-am event.
The 49-year-old said the pair’s hectic schedules had proven to be a stumbling block in organising the rematch so far but was hopeful it would happen.
“This year was an awkward year because [Woods] is captain of the President’s Cup team, he has his tournament in Bermuda, it would have been difficult going back and forth,” Mickelson said.
Speaking in Macau on Tuesday, the five-time major champion said he believes the format could also play an important role in the future development of the sport.
I think it’s a great opportunity if we can put golf on prime time – when it’s not normally viewed – and in a unique situation that gets interest
“Over four rounds, you sometimes lose interest, or you don’t have the players that you want to follow going head-to-head for the tournament title. So having one round match play like that, you have the players that you want going head-to-head for the trophy.”
Mickelson was victorious in the inaugural edition played in November last year when he secured the US$9 million winner’s cheque on the fourth sudden-death hole with the pair all square through 21 holes.
The 2018 clash was held at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas and was a ratings hit, broadcast across the world on pay-per-view, though some criticised the spectacle for failing to live up to the hype.
Gambling played a prominent role in the event with Mickelson and Woods agreeing a series of play-related wagers throughout the contest with the proceeds going to charity.
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Mickelson, who led a Sands China youth coaching clinic in Macau along with Chinese No 1 Li Haotong on Monday, highlighted the potential of the head-to-head format to provide a prime time TV platform for golf and appeal to a younger generation.
“I think it’s a great opportunity if we can put golf on prime time – when it’s not normally viewed – and in a unique situation that gets interest, because golf has a hard time gaining extra interest from those that aren’t your normal golf fan watching it on Sunday. I think it opens it up to a new market.”
