Phil Mickelson, Charles Barkley Among Commentators for Capital One's The Match
Nov 9, 2021
PONTE VEDRA BEACH - OCTOBER 10: Phil Mickelson holds the trophy on the 18th green after the final round of the PGA TOUR Champions Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS presented by Circle K at Timuquana Country Club on October 10, 2021 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
Phil Mickelson isn't playing in this year's edition of Capital One's The Match, but he will be involved in Turner Sports' coverage of the Nov. 26 showdown between Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
Turner Sports announced Mickelson will provide commentary for the matchup alongside NBA Hall of Famer and TNT broadcaster Charles Barkley. Brian Anderson will be the play-by-play commentator, and Amanda Balionis will report from on the course.
The matchup will take place at the Wynn Golf Course in Las Vegas and be televised on TNT with simulcast coverage on TBS, truTV and HLN.
Mickelson has been a central feature of the event.
He defeated Tiger Woods in the first edition in 2018 and then lost to Woods in a rematch that paired Lefty with Tom Brady and Tiger with Peyton Manning. Mickelson then joined new commentating partner Barkley and defeated a team of Manning and Stephen Curry.
While Mickelson is a two-time victor at Capital One's The Match, he and Brady lost to Aaron Rodgers and DeChambeau in the most recent event in July.
DeChambeau will look to build on that showing when he takes on Koepka in a 12-hole matchup this month.
Their rivalry dominated headlines in the golf world throughout the year, and fans yelled "Brooksie" at DeChambeau during tournaments. However, that rivalry took a backseat during the Ryder Cup when they were teammates and helped lead the United States to victory over Europe.
They even shared a hug in the post-victory celebration:
Brooks and Bryson finish the presser by hugging it out in the middle of the room pic.twitter.com/qxOBXjsu7H
The rivalry may have thawed given their time as teammates, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Mickelson and Barkley had some fun with it during their questioning and comments at Capital One's The Match.
Phil Mickelson Rips PGA Tour's New Driver Rule: 'Stupid Is as Stupid Does'
Oct 13, 2021
Phil Mickelson drives off the 16th tee during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament, Sunday, May 19, 2019, at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Phil Mickelson is unhappy with the PGA Tour's governing bodies.
After the USGA and R&A announced a rule change that reduces the maximum length of a driver shaft from 48 inches to 46 inches, Lefty turned to a quote from Forrest Gump to voice his displeasure:
“Stupid is as stupid does.”Mrs Gump
Really though, are the amateurs trying their best to govern the professional game the stupid ones? Or the professionals for letting them? https://t.co/3zt4LyH3UW
Per Mike Stachura of Golf Digest, spokespeople for the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour said the rule will go into effect for the 2022 season.
Thomas Pagel, USGA senior managing director of governance, told Stachura the driver limit will apply to all 14 USGA championship events in 2022.
Mickelson certainly isn't alone in being unhappy about the news.
He has railed against the rule change since rumors of it began circulating:
Word is USGA is soon rolling back driver length to 46inches.This is PATHETIC.1st it promotes a shorter more violent swing (injury prone,) doesn’t allow for length of arc to create speed,and during our 1st golf boom in 40 years,our amateur gov body keeps trying to make it less fun
Mickelson has a very vested interest in the new parameters. The 51-year-old won the 2021 PGA Championship in May using a 47.9-inch driver on the ocean course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina.
Justin Thomas Hires Phil Mickelson's Former Caddie Jim Mackay in Full-Time Role
Sep 30, 2021
Team USA's Justin Thomas reacts after winning a Ryder Cup singles match at the Whistling Straits Golf Course Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in Sheboygan, Wis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Longtime caddie Jim Mackay, who paired with Phil Mickelson for 25 years, will be back on the course full-time working alongside Justin Thomas.
Mackay told Rex Hoggard of the Golf Channel the opportunity to work with Thomas came together quickly.
“It came out of left field very recently. I have just tremendous respect for [Thomas] as a person and a player,” Mackay said. “It was an incredible phone call to get and I said yes.”
Mackay was with Mickelson when Lefty made his PGA Tour debut in 1992. The pair were together for 41 of Mickelson's victories, including each of his first five major championships.
They announced a mutual parting of ways in June 2017.
"Our decision is not based on a single incident," Mickelson said in a statement. "We just feel it’s the right time for change. Bones is one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated caddies in the world."
After leaving Mickelson's bag, Mackay was hired to work as a golf commentator for NBC Sports and the Golf Channel.
Mackay filled in as Thomas' caddie twice in recent years. He first took over the bag at the 2018 Sony Open when his regular caddie, Jimmy Johnson, was unavailable with plantar fasciitis.
When Johnson was unavailable last year for the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and PGA Championship, Thomas called on Mackay once again to work with him.
Thomas was a member of Team USA for its victory over Europe last weekend at the Ryder Cup. He wrapped up the 2020-21 PGA Tour season with seven top-10 finishes and one victory in 23 tournaments.
Phil Mickelson Named Vice Captain for USA's 2021 Ryder Cup Team
Sep 1, 2021
Phil Mickelson looks on before putting on the 18th green during the second round of the BMW Championship golf tournament, Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples were named vice captains to the United States' 2021 Ryder Cup team Wednesday.
I’m humbled and honored to be a part of this years Ryder Cup as an assistant captain. Thank you Captain Stricker for including me and I hope to help in any way possible. GoUSA 🇺🇸
Captain Steve Stricker said he targeted the two veterans for some time to join the team.
“I’ve been staying in close contact with both Freddie and Phil, talking about all things Ryder Cup, for a while now," Stricker said. "They provide honest and impactful feedback, and both have such a passion for the Ryder Cup. I’m honored that they were willing to join our Team and help put us in the best position to win in a few weeks at Whistling Straits.”
Couples previously served as vice captain in the 2012 Ryder Cup. He was also part of the 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1997 Ryder Cup teams.
Mickelson has participated in a record 12 Ryder Cups, appearing in 47 matches and holding the United States record for most four-ball victories (nine).
The 2021 Ryder Cup is set to be played Sept. 24-26 at at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin. Europe is coming off a win at the 2016 event and has won four of the past five.
Phil Mickelson Rips PGA over Decision to Limit Length of Drivers to 46 Inches
Aug 27, 2021
OWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND - AUGUST 26: Phil Mickelson of the United States plays his shot from the second tee during the first round of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club on August 26, 2021 in Owings Mills, Maryland. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Phil Mickelson is unhappy with the United States Golf Association over its proposed rule change that would limit the size of a driver to 46 inches.
Lefty wrote on Twitter that the proposal is "PATHETIC" and believes it could lead to an increase in injuries, as well as a decrease in player performance:
Word is USGA is soon rolling back driver length to 46inches.This is PATHETIC.1st it promotes a shorter more violent swing (injury prone,) doesn’t allow for length of arc to create speed,and during our 1st golf boom in 40 years,our amateur gov body keeps trying to make it less fun
The USGA and R&A, golf's two governing bodies, issued a joint release in February that included three proposed changes to playing equipment and testing methods for golf balls and clubs.
In the proposal, the USGA and R&A brought forth a change to "limit the maximum length of clubs, other than putters, to 46 inches."
Players are currently permitted to use clubs in tournaments up to 48 inches in length.
Per ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg, the USGA said it would not issue any formal response to Mickelson's tweet.
Mickelson hasn't been shy about publicly criticizing the USGA in the past on numerous topics.
"That’s terrible, 274 yards," the 51-year-old told reporters about the third hole at the 2013 U.S. Open from Merion Golf Club. "We can't even reach it."
Mickelson has primarily used a 47-inch driver, but he did experiment with a 47.5-inch club at The Masters in November because of the length of the course at Augusta.
FedEx Cup Standings 2021: Points Leaderboard Before BMW Championship
Aug 26, 2021
Tony Finau tees off on the 13th hole during the ProAm at the BMW Championship golf tournament, Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md. The BMW Championship tournament begins Thursday. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
The BMW Championship has had plenty of big-name winners in its short history.
Jon Rahm is the reigning champion of the second event on the FedEx Cup schedule. Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson and Jason Day are among the winners since the event began in 2007.
A victory at Caves Valley Golf Club puts any player in the best possible situation going into the Tour Championship. That amplifies the motivation to win and should bring out the best in the top golfers in the world.
Each of the first two events on the FedEx Cup playoffs schedule awards 2,000 points to the winner, so a 20-spot jump in the standings is possible, as we saw with Tony Finau after his triumph at the Northern Trust.
The field of 69 golfers playing in Owings Mills, Maryland have plenty of motivation to get to the top. The Tour Championship begins with a staggered scoring format that hands an advantage to the top-ranked players.
Finau, Rahm and Cameron Smith sit on top of the standings after their strong performances at the Northern Trust, but the order at the top could change with one terrific weekend from someone further down the chart.
All eyes will also be on the cut line. The top 30 players in the standings qualify for the Tour Championship. Patrick Reed is the only name in the top 70 not participating at the BMW Championship. He came down with an illness that put him in the hospital last week.
Finau's win at Liberty National Golf Club put him into the Tour Championship. He is more than 2,000 points ahead of the some of the players on the bubble.
The 31-year-old can use the BMW Championship as a chance to hone his skills ahead of the trip to East Lake Golf Club next week.
Rahm and Smith sit in comfortable positions as well since they have a 400-point gap over Patrick Cantlay in fourth place.
The top places in the FedEx Cup standings come with great rewards. The No. 1 player heading into the Tour Championship starts that event at 10 under. The No. 2 player begins at eight under and the third-ranked golfer starts at seven under in the staggered-start format.
Each of the 69 golfers in BMW Championship field will have four rounds to improve their respective positions to clinch spots in next week's season finale.
A BMW Championship victory is more valuable to the likes of Harry Higgs, Phil Mickelson and Mackenzie Hughes. The final 15 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings have to make up anywhere from 350 to 400 points just to get close to the Tour Championship cutoff.
At least one spot in the top 30 should be up for grabs with Reed out of the tournament. The 31-year-old is currently 26th and holds a 181-point lead over 31st-place Kevin Kisner.
At the Northern Trust, 10 players made a jump of 10 or more places in the FedEx Cup standings. Erik van Rooyen, Alex Noren and Tom Hoge all jumped into the top 50 by finishing on the first page of the leaderboard.
A significant points jump could be more difficult to achieve this week because of the trimmed field. There is not a situation in play for some of the golfers to leap over others that missed the cut.
The other dynamic in play is the unfamiliarity with Caves Valley. The Maryland course has not been used much on the PGA Tour circuit, so it may take a round for players to adjust to it.
The 69-player field has more margin for error on Thursday with no cut line. Anyone who cards a bad first-round score still has a chance to surge up the leaderboard on Saturday and Sunday.
Tom Brady Posts Koepka, DeChambeau Memes After Loss in Capital One's The Match
Jul 7, 2021
BIG SKY, MONTANA - JULY 06: Tom Brady looks on during Capital One's The Match at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin on July 06, 2021 in Big Sky, Montana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images for The Match)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom
Brady isn't letting a loss in Capital One's The Match bring an end to
his meme parade.
Brady, who suffered a 3-and-2 defeat
alongside teammate Phil Mickelson against Bryson DeChambeau and Green
Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Tuesday night, was active on
social media leading up to the marquee event and that continued
Wednesday.
His latest round of memes featured the
DeChambeau-Brooks Koepka template:
After seeing Brady's memes, Mickelson responded by calling the quarterback "the best partner I could imagine,"
The budding rivalry between DeChambeau
and Koepka has brought some added attention to the PGA Tour as of
late, and Brady is providing an assist with his love of the image
showing Koepka disgusted as he hears DeChambeau walking behind him
during a recent television interview.
Tuesday's matchup was close throughout
the front side, but the tandem of Rodgers and DeChambeau pulled away
on the back nine to secure the victory.
"We had fun and I feel like I'm
the variable, the unfortunate variable, between winning and losing
with Phil," Brady said afterward. "Happy for these two,
they actually played amazing. Aaron killed it. Bryson was playing
great. They were tough to beat today."
Brady and Mickelson previously lost to
Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning in May 2020. Mickelson has won his two other appearances in Capital One's The Match.
The 2021 PGA Championship winner
doesn't seem to mind the losses with the seven-time Super Bowl
champion as his playing partner, though.
"You're right. Tom is awesome in
every way," Mickelson wrote on Twitter in response to SiriusXM's
Pat McAfee. "I learn and am inspired every time I have a chance to
be around him."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCQFtNEXOjY
The charity event, which took place at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana, secured 6.3
million meals for Feeding America and raised $2.6 million for My
Brother's Keeper, per ESPN's Tom VanHaaren.
Capital One's The Match has featured
four editions since the initial head-to-head matchup between
Mickelson and Woods in November 2018.
Capital One's The Match: Best Trash Talk, Highlights and Funniest Moments
Jul 7, 2021
Aaron Rodgers hits a tee shot on the third hole of the Spyglass Hill Golf Course during the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020, in Pebble Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Everybody knew there was going to be plenty of trash talk during the latest edition of Capital One's The Match. You can't put four of the most competitive athletes in the world on the same golf course and expect anything less.
On Tuesday, 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers defeated six-time major winner Phil Mickelson and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady 3 and2 at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana.
But some of the best moments had nothing to do with the golf being played. The trash talk wasn't limited to the four players either.
DeChambeau, Rodgers, Mickelson and Brady were all mic'd up for the TNT broadcast, which also featured some well-known guests calling in throughout the match. Among them was Rob Gronkowski, Brady's Buccaneers teammate.
Gronkowski wanted to make sure that Brady is getting ready for training camp later this month and that he wasn't distracted by his offseason activities. Brady assured him that wouldn't be an issue while noting who he was playing golf against.
"I'm studying my competition. Look, I'm 30 yards away from Aaron, who's the leader of the Packers—I think," Brady said.
“I’m studying my competition…the leader of the Packers I think”
Rodgers' relationship with the Packers may not be in the best condition right now. The quarterback hasn't been participating in the team's offseason activities to this point, and it's unknown whether he'll be back in Green Bay this fall.
Gronkowski didn't leave without giving Rodgers a jab of his own.
"You're studying the wrong guy, man. Aaron looks more lazy now than I did in retirement," Gronkowski said.
The broadcast wasn't going to end without Rodgers being directly asked about his football status at some point. It's a question that's been on everybody's mind this offseason, and it's one that still doesn't have an answer.
Will Rodgers be playing for the Packers during the 2021 season?
"Yeah, I don't know. We'll see," Rodgers told TNT's Brian Anderson.
“I don’t know”
Aaron Rodgers when asked if he’ll be playing for the Packers this season 👀 https://t.co/zoDZBSVH3R
As for the golf being played, there was plenty of exciting action. After the first nine holes, the two teams were tied. But DeChambeau and Rodgers pulled ahead with birdies at the 10th, 11th and 12th holes.
Brady and Mickelson birdied the 15th to get a point back. However, DeChambeau and Rodgers put things away on the 16th with another birdie. And while many of the best shots of the day came from the professional golfers, it was Rodgers who sank the winning putt:
While trash talk was prevalent, Brady also did some subtle flexing. As pointed out by ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, Brady's golf balls highlighted the seven Super Bowls he's won during his NFL career:
Mickelson is the only person who has participated in all four iterations of Capital One's The Match. He's now 0-2 with Brady as his teammate.
However, Brady could return at some point for another one of these charity events. He may have lost another appearance at Capital One's The Match, but he had some high points in both and brought plenty of fun to the matchup.
DeChambeau and Rodgers had never played in one of these events. However, after their impressive showing as teammates this time, perhaps they could team up again in the future.
Twitter Reacts to Rodgers, DeChambeau and Top Moments from Capital One's The Match
Jul 7, 2021
BIG SKY, MONTANA - JULY 06: (L-R) Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers pose for photos during Capital One's The Match at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin on July 06, 2021 in Big Sky, Montana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images for The Match)
On Tuesday, Aaron Rodgers spoke often about how he doesn't play much golf. Then he went out and sank a 10-foot putt to win Capital One's The Match for himself and Bryson DeChambeau against Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson.
The fourth iteration of the event saw the quarterbacks and PGA Tour stars link up at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana for 18 holes. Rodgers and DeChambeau only needed 16 to walk away with a 3 and 2 victory.
Rodgers looked as calm as ever as he drained the winning putt.
The previous 15 holes featured some non-stop trash talking, longest-drive competitions and a whole lot of charitable donations through the alternate shot format. Each player teed off then picked which shot they liked best between teammates. From there, each team alternated shots with their playing partner with the lowest score winning the hole.
With Big Sky providing the backdrop, there was hardly a reason to look away from the action on Tuesday.
DeChambeau and Rodgers won the first hole of the day but this was hardly a runaway victory for the pair. Mickelson and Brady tied No. 2, won Nos. 3 and 4 and tied on No. 5 before DeChambeau and Rodgers were able to even the score at two all.
After the two teams traded holes at Nos . 7 and 8, they tied on No. 9 to keep things even headed to the back stretch. That's when the reigning NFL MVP and the Tour's most electric driver kicked things up a notch, winning the first three holes on the back nine.
To explain just how dire their situation was, Mickelson used some of his best trash-talking yet.
Unfortunately for Brady and Mickelson, Rodgers had more of a say in the play-calling Tuesday, which helped him lock up a victory over his NFC rival.
It also helped that Rodgers had DeChambeau by his side piping the ball down the fairway with ease—of course that, too, came after some trash talk from Mickelson.
"On national TV, a 51-year-old outdriving you, that's not ok." Phil Mickelson to Bryson DeChambeau after outdriving him. #TheMatch
Brady tried his best to throw Rodgers off to no avail, either. During a segment where Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski called in, Brady alluded to Rodgers' ongoing dispute with the Green Bay Packers.
“Aaron looks more lazy now than I did in retirement.” - Gronk
The broadcast team led by Charles Barkley tried to get intel on whether or not Rodgers would be returning to Green Bay for the 2021 season, but the quarterback easily side-stepped the questions.
“I don’t know”
Aaron Rodgers when asked if he’ll be playing for the Packers this season 👀 https://t.co/zoDZBSVH3R
The problem for Rodgers now is no one will take his golf game lightly anymore. As he prepares to participate in this weekend's American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe, he'll have plenty of people coming for him. That includes a field stacked with the likes of Stephen Curry, Larry Fitzgerald, Tom Glavine, Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, Jerry Rice, Tony Romo, Justin Timberlake and Charles Woodson.
After his tremendous outing Tuesday, Rodgers has more than just NFL MVP to defend. He's got a whole other sport chasing after him.
DeChambeau, Rodgers Win Capital One's The Match vs. Mickelson, Brady
Jul 7, 2021
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers passes during the first half of the NFC championship NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Green Bay, Wis., Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and 2020 U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau defeated Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller Tom Brady and six-time major winner Phil Mickelson in the fourth edition of Capital One's The Match on Tuesday.
As for the golf, the two teams were tied all square after the front nine, but Rodgers and DeChambeau proceeded to win holes No. 10 through No. 12 thanks to three birdies.
Brady and Mickelson got one back on No. 15, but Rodgers' birdie on the 16th sealed the 3-and-2 win.
There were many highlights on the day, with DeChambeau kicking things off with a chip-in on the first hole.
Starting off with a BANG 💥
Bryson chips it in on the first hole to give his team an early 1-up lead.
There was no shortage of notable moments on the day. Former President Barack Obama hinted that he may make an appearance at a future edition of Capital One's The Match if Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, who provided commentary and played in a previous edition of this event, took part.
“If Chuck does it one more time…maybe I’ll have a little more gumption to get out there and try myself”
More important conversations took place later on as Rodgers' murky future with the Packers was brought up multiple times, both in jest by Brady and during an interview with the commentating crew.
“I’m studying my competition…the leader of the Packers I think”
In the end, Brady and Mickelson fought hard but fell just short.
Most important was the money the event raised for charity, as noted in a WarnerMedia press release:
In association with Capital One’s The Match, donations will be made to benefit My Brother's Keeper Alliance, Feeding America, and the Montana Food Bank Network. Capital One's The Match will also feature on-course competitive challenges to help raise additional awareness and funding for these important initiatives.
All four editions of Capital One's The Match, which began when Mickelson beat Tiger Woods in a one-on-one showdown in 2018, have benefitted various charitable efforts.
