Rory McIlroy doesn’t plan on watching “The Match” between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
“Look, if they had done it 15 years ago it would have been great,” McIlroy told reporters on Tuesday in Dubai. “But nowadays, it’s missed the mark a little bit.”
At a FedEx Cup Playoffs event earlier this year McIlroy was having lunch with Mickelson and told him he might watch.
“[Mickelson] took $25 out of his pocket and said, ‘No, here’s $25. I’ll pay for it for you. Thank you,'” McIlroy said.
Apparently McIlroy’s had a change of heart.
McIlroy isn’t the first PGA Tour golfer to admit he won’t be watching “The Match” on Nov. 23. Justin Thomas recently said that he won’t be watching either.
“Love TW and Phil to death…. but there’s a 0% chance I order that,” the 25-year-old Thomas tweeted earlier this month when asked whether he would be watching. “I’ll be watching football!?”
But Jordan Spieth said he plans on tuning in.
“I’m sure that myself and our friends will be watching it,” Spieth said at the Shriners in Las Vegas two weeks ago. “There is certainly an interest from us, yeah, especially knowing the both of them. Having them mic’d up and knowing them personally it’ll be kind of extra special.”
“The Match” will take place at Shadow Creek Golf Club in Sin City on the Friday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 23). The winner-take-all showdown is being played for $9 million and is streaming on pay-per-view. Some of the proceeds will go to charity, and both golfers have said they will donate a portion of their winnings to charities.
Fans will not have the opportunity to watch “The Match” in person, as the organizers have closed off the event to the public. It will reportedly only be open to VIP guests and sponsors.
Fans will also be able to watch HBO Sports’ “24/7” series, which will document Woods and Mickelson ahead of their clash. The series is set to begin on Tuesday night.
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