The much-vaunted Phil Mickelson v Tiger Woods showdown has finally been confirmed as it will be taking place in Las Vegas over the Thanksgiving weekend.
The pair will compete in a 'winner-takes-all' match for an eye-watering $9m on either Friday 23 or Saturday 24 November at Shadow Creek Golf Course and the trash talk between the pair has already begun, with Phil Mickelson responding to a couple of 'lads' when out for a practice round on Wednesday.
A guy behind camera tells Mickelson that he is going to bet his "house and the farm" on him winning the clash, with 'Lefty' responding by saying it's a "solid play". You can see the video below.
There will hopefully be a charity element to the clash between two players who are well past their best. Woods, the fourteen-time major winner, wondered whether he would ever play golf again following a torrid time with injuries and is still searching for a first tournament win since 2013.
There was a time when a bit of needle between the pair might have made this an interesting contest but they get on well nowadays and it seems absurd that the clash will only be available via pay-per-view. It is hardly appealing to the masses at a time when golf is increasingly being taken away from the average person, with the recent US PGA Championship only available online.
Furthermore, the Woods v Mickelson showdown will be competing for viewing figures with the NFL during the traditional Thanksgiving weekend games.
This match-up has come fifteen years too late and the sum of money is ridiculous, with Woods and Mickelson also having the option of raising the stakes with various side bets. The pair will no doubt enjoy themselves and hopefully some charitable causes will benefit.
As a sporting contest it is a non-event, even if Mickelson is a "solid play"...
