Tiger, Phil, Tom, & Peyton Will Play the Fifth Hole With Only One Club!
The second rendition of Tiger vs. Phil includes Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and what should be an exciting back nine alternate-shot format. Still, the foursome continues to make things more interesting ahead of Sunday’s 2 p.m. ET tee time. Get the full tale-of-the-tape for the match over on SportsHandle.
On Tuesday, Yahoo! Sports reported each golfer will play the fifth hole with only one club. That means they’ll be putting on the green with the same club they used to get off the tee box.
Maybe you’ve tried this before? From personal experience, I can attest it’s no easy task.
Hole No. 5 at The Medalist Golf Club plays as a 404-yard par 4 from the black tees.
Normally that would mean 100 to 120-yard approach shots for Tiger and Phil, and maybe put Peyton and Tom 120-140 yards out after hitting their drivers. (Tiger’s average driving distance in 2019 was 296.8 yards, and Phil’s was 306.3 yards. My estimate for Manning and Brady is far less scientific.)
However, that won’t be the case Sunday, as the golfers will leave their drivers in their bags on the fifth tee, substituting the big stick for a club that they can utilize in the fairway, and eventually on the green — or around it if need be.
Depending on the wind, I expect Tiger and Phil to hit 5-irons on hole No. 5, while Brady and Manning could follow suit with plans of a 5-iron pitch or chip shot short of the green, or the amateurs might go with a lower iron for more distance. Since the front nine is best-ball, Manning and Brady have little to lose. Their shots likely won’t come into play much until the back nine, when the match transitions to alternate shot.
While Tiger’s ball-striking is still at the top of the PGA Tour, Phil knows how to get creative with both his irons and short game, which is why I like Phil and Brady to win the fifth hole.
Sportsbooks Post Tiger-Manning vs. Phil-Brady Props
U.S. sportsbooks — PointsBet, FoxBet, and FanDuel, to name a few — have begun to add golf props to their menus for The Match: Champions for Charity. So far, props for hole No. 5 are largely missing, but a few options still bring the hole into play.
Those looking to get skin in the game can embrace the added variance of golfers playing an entire hole with one club by taking Mickelson and Brady +150 to lead after six holes at FoxBet.
At PointsBet Sportsbook, customers can wager on who will win the most Par 4s between the two teams. You’ll again find Mickelson and Brady plus-money (currently +130) to come out on top of the prop.
Hopefully sportsbooks continue to add intriguing props leading up to Sunday’s match, specifically for the fifth hole, so that viewers can immerse themselves in the one-club challenge themselves.
Regardless, Sunday will bring some much needed live sports action for golf fans who, if they didn’t tune in for the TaylorMade Driving Relief last weekend, haven’t watched a full round of live golf since the PGA Tour canceled The Players Championship on March 11.
Tournament play is scheduled to resume with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas on June 11, which is good news for those missing PGA DFS.
For now, those with a DFS itch can play FanDuel’s free-to-play Tiger-Peyton v. Phil-Brady Pick’em game, which includes a 10K prize pool, and/or they can test the waters at an online sportsbook.
Image Credit: USA Today Sports Images