20 million for "The Match"!

Long awaited for several weeks, the golf match involving Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady and Payton Manning raised 20 million for the benefit of organizations working to fight COVID-19 on Sunday at Jupiter's The Medalist club. in Florida.

A big success, therefore, and the four players presented an excellent show despite a stubborn, often intense rain, which did not always allow them to progress to their best level. Conditions also delayed the game, and it was only after dark that Woods and Manning won with a lead of 18 holes.

The duo gained the advantage by winning the third, fourth and sixth holes, but Mickelson and Brady returned to the fight on the return nine by winning the 11th and 14th holes. However, they were never able to create equality.

After the match, during a brief ceremony to present the check for $ 20 million, Manning summed up the spirit of the competition. “We, Tom (Brady) and I, were fortunate enough to experience what these guys (Woods and Mickelson) experience every week and, believe me, we were intimidated. But when I see this check and think of the frontline workers who are currently fighting a much bigger fight than anything we have experienced during our careers, I am really grateful. "



Woods added: "I'm not sure that Phil and I would have lasted long in front of the NFL players who were racing on Tom and Peyton! But it’s true that the heroes today are the ones fighting COVID-19 and I’m glad I was able to contribute a little bit in my own way. "

Contested without spectators, but in the presence of a large broadcasting team from the American TNT network - the conditions of social distancing did not always seem perfectly respected ... -, "The Match - Champions for Charity" took place in an atmosphere very relaxed.

The players wore microphones and exchanged regularly with each other and with the commentators and their guests. Charles Barkley, Alex Rodriguez, Brooks Koepka, JJ Watt, Russell Wilson and many others did not hesitate throughout the day to launch paid challenges to the players, which made it possible to collect several hundreds of thousands of extra dollars.

Brady seemed the most embarrassed by the weather and also a little by the pressure, especially on the new to go, which is still surprising from an athlete who has so often shone in the most tense situations. Long underperforming than Manning, even if the two have the same margin of error, Brady still saved the face by achieving the stroke of the day, at the 7th hole, when he stalled a stroke of a hundred yards.



 

A few weeks before the resumption of activities on the PGA tour, Woods appeared in better shape than Mickelson. Playing on a course he knows perfectly - he is a member of the Medalist club, like many other players on the PGA tour - he has been very consistent, unlike his rival.

Woods said in an interview: "I was preparing for Augusta (the Masters tournament) when the season was interrupted. After that, I went home. I was able to continue training, receiving my treatments and I was able to spend a lot of time with my children, which is really good. "

When asked what his calendar might look like in the next few weeks, Woods replied. “It will be an interesting season. Obviously I’m targeting major tournaments and they’ll follow quickly after the summer. It will be important to manage this well. "
The first official tournament of the resumption will take place from June 11 to 14 at the Colonial Club of Fort Worth in Texas.