Phil Mickelson

When Phil Mickelson teamed up with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady as golf partners last year, the duo came up short. They lost to Tiger Woods and former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning in Capital One's The Match: Champions for Charity on May 24, 2020.

Now, Mickelson and Brady are teaming back up. They'll be facing Bryson DeChambeau and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the fourth edition of Capital One's The Match at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana, on Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET on TNT.

Mickelson has participated in all of the Capital One's The Match events. And he's coming off his first win, as he teamed with NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley to defeat Manning and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry in Capital One's The Match: Champions for Change last November.

But this time, Mickelson and Brady will be facing a tough task in going up against the DeChambeau/Rodgers duo. Here's a look at the latest odds for the event.

       

Latest Odds

DeChambeau/Rodgers: -167 (bet $167 to win $100)

Mickelson/Brady: +125 (bet $100 to win $125)

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

         

Preview

Like past editions of Capital One's The Match, the four athletes will be playing for charity. They'll be mic'd up, and there will be a ton of friendly banter and trash talk between both sides. It will be fun and entertaining to watch for those reasons alone.

But make no mistake about it: Each of these pairs is going to want to win.

DeChambeau is known for his long, booming drives, as the 27-year-old has increased his power in recent years and become one of the top golfers on the PGA Tour. He's currently at No. 6 in the Official World Golf Ranking, and he may only keep getting better.

And he's also not going to let Mickelson show him up in the best aspect of his golf game.

"Phil outdrive me at The Match? There is no way," DeChambeau told Golfweek's Steve DiMeglio in May. "That week I'm coming out with the long driver, and I'll have the spin rate dialed in, and there's no chance he'll ever get close to my ball speed."

DeChambeau has a pretty strong partner, too. Rodgers may spend his Sundays in the fall on the gridiron, but he's no stranger to the greens, especially around this time of year.

The Packers quarterback has played in the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament held each July in Lake Tahoe, in the past. That includes in 2020, when he finished 16th among 71 participants. (For comparison, Barkley placed 69th in that tournament.)

So it makes sense why DeChambeau and Rodgers are the favorites to win this edition of Capital One's The Match. Although Mickelson and Brady will not be easy to beat.

Mickelson may be 51, but he's proved of late that he can still play golf at a high level. In May, he won the PGA Championship for his first victory at a major tournament since 2013. When he's hitting his shots, he can still be among the best golfers in the field on any given weekend.

Brady may have gotten off to a slow start the last time he teamed with Mickelson for Capital One's The Match, but the Bucs quarterback has shown he can hang his own on the greens.

And it appears he's been putting in some practice, while also starting up the trash talk:

Don’t worry boys, far more prestigious tournament coming up on July 6th... @PhilMickelson @b_dechambeau @AaronRodgers12 pic.twitter.com/BmH4eTpikI

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 22, 2021

Are Mickelson and Brady gearing up for an upset? Or will DeChambeau and Rodgers dominate this event? Either way, it's going to be another fun matchup to watch.

      

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and 2020 U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau are favored to beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller Tom Brady and six-time major winner Phil Mickelson in the fourth edition of Capital One's The Match.

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Rodgers and DeChambeau are listed with -182 odds ($182 bet to win $100). Brady and Mickelson are +135 underdogs ($100 bet to win $135).

Mickelson, who is the reigning PGA Championship winner, has participated in all four iterations of Capital One's The Match.

He defeated golfing legend Tiger Woods in match-play competition in the first-ever edition and also teamed with Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley to defeat Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and five-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning last November.

Brady and Mickelson teamed up once before but lost to Woods and Manning in May 2020.

The two-on-two showdown will occur Tuesday, July 6, at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana. TNT will televise the event, which kicks off at 5 p.m. ET.

   

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady showcased some impressive putting skills as part of his preparations for Capital One's The Match on July 6.

Brady shouted out his teammate for the fourth edition of the event, Phil Mickelson, and their opponents, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Bryson DeChambeau, in a Twitter video posted Tuesday:

Don’t worry boys, far more prestigious tournament coming up on July 6th... @PhilMickelson @b_dechambeau @AaronRodgers12 pic.twitter.com/BmH4eTpikI

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) June 22, 2021

The seven-time Super Bowl champion previously paired with Mickelson, who won the 2021 PGA Championship last month for his sixth major title, in May 2020 for a clash with Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning. Brady struggled early but nearly helped spark a comeback in the one-down loss.

Brady has enjoyed the build up to the latest event, which will benefit Feeding America and other charitable groups, highlighted by posting some memes about the rivalry between DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, along with Rodgers' tensions with the Packers:

pic.twitter.com/2VSwR4vm06

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) May 26, 2021

Although it's been all fun and jokes so far, Brady's video shows he's been getting his game fine-tuned for The Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana.

The 43-year-old California native is one of sports' fiercest competitors, and that competitive fire is sure to show through once they tee off next month, just as it did in his appearance last year.

After that, Brady will return to his day job as the Bucs' quarterback as they prepare to defend their Super Bowl championship with the NFL regular season set to kick off Sept. 9 against the Dallas Cowboys.

Day 1 of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego is in the books.

Round 1 is not over, though.

A 90-minute fog delay pushed the beginning of the tournament back. Thirty-six golfers were on the course when the day's action was suspended for darkness, so the first round will conclude early Friday morning before Round 2 can begin.

Louis Oosthuizen and Russell Henley sit atop the leaderboard at four under.

Oosthuizen caught fire during his round, knocking home birdies on Nos. 16-18. The putter cooperated, and he drilled an 18'11" putt on No. 16:

Read it. Roll it. Hole it. @Louis57TM is two back of the lead.#FromManyOne | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/Pj0CdTynyh

— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 18, 2021

A 11'2" putt on No. 5 tied him with Henley:

⛳We've got a new co-leader. ⛳@Louis57TM is -4 at the #USOpen pic.twitter.com/qdgcklN4SM

— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 18, 2021

Oosthuizen may have never won a U.S. Open, but he's been brilliant at the major with four top-nine finishes. Justin Ray of Twenty First Group provided some stats:

Louis being Louis.

Oosthuizen is 1 of 3 players to finish in the top-10 at each of the last 2 U.S. Opens (Schauffele, McIlroy). Ranks third in scoring average at the @usopengolf the last 20 years among players with 20+ rounds played.

— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) June 18, 2021

Louis Oosthuizen has been in the top-10 following 11 U.S. Open rounds since 2011.

Only Stenson (17) and Day (12) have more such rounds in that span among players without a U.S. Open win.

— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) June 18, 2021

Oosthuizen did not finish his round, and he currently sits on the No. 8 green. He has about 12 yards for a birdie.

Henley entered the clubhouse as the tournament leader thanks to a four-under 67. Six birdies helped him emerge in first place, and he can thank his exceptional putting (fourth in strokes gained on the green).

Torrey Pines hasn't exactly been kind to Henley in the past, as he told Jason Sobel on SiriusXM Radio following his round:

"I broke 80 last time"

From barely shooting in the 70s to now leading the U.S. Open. After his opening round 67 Russell Henley spoke with Jason Sobel@russhenleygolf I @JasonSobelTAN I @usopengolf pic.twitter.com/lHIbBkTHSg

— SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio (@SiriusXMPGATOUR) June 17, 2021

But he was all smiles Thursday thanks to a fantastic short game.

It's awfully crowded at the top, though, and some of golf's best players are in the mix.

It's never a good sign for the competition when four-time major winner Brooks Koepka is lurking around, but that's the case as he finished the day two under.

Koepka was four under at one point after knocking home this birdie on No. 12:

Dead. Center. @BKoepka moves to -4 and holds the solo lead. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/tG2ItPb2Z9

— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 17, 2021

A pair of bogeys knocked him down to two under, but he's certainly off to a great start.

It's been an eventual few weeks for another contender in Jon Rahm. The Spaniard was forced to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament after testing positive for COVID-19. He was leading the tournament by six strokes at 18 under going into Sunday.

That was undoubtedly disappointing, but he's recovered and in great form, shooting two under on Thursday. This 30-feet birdie putt on No. 14 helped matters.

A fist pump sighting from @JonRahmpga 💪#FromManyOne | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/pZFCX8NPY3

— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 17, 2021

Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama is seeking his second major win of the year, and he's in good shape to do so at two under. He had three birdies and just one bogey.

Other notable contenders include 2019 Open champion Francesco Molinari (three under) and Xander Schauffele (two under).

On the flip side, a who's who of golf's biggest names sit below the one-over cut line going into Friday.

World No. 2 Justin Thomas is at two over. He started the day with 11 straight pars before bogeying No. 3.

He bogeyed No. 5 as well but came through with a clutch birdie on the tough par-four sixth (519 yards).

Thomas did finish with one more bogey but ended the day just one shot below the cut line, so he could very well end up playing this weekend despite his current position.

Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth is also on the outside looking into the picture at six over. He was treading water through 14 holes at two over, but a disastrous finish, which included a double bogey on No. 6, led to the six-over day.

It wasn't been a good day for former U.S. Open champions. Gary Woodland, the 2019 victor, is three over. He was one under through 10 holes but carded five bogeys from Nos. 11-17 before finishing with a birdie on the last.

Bryson DeChambeau, who was the only player to shoot under par in 2020, shot two over. His approach game didn't do him any favors, as he finished 127th in strokes gained.

PGA Championship winner Phil Mickelson's quest to win that elusive U.S. Open did not get off to a good start, as he's four over. The six-time major winner is still basking in the glow of his Wanamaker Trophy, though.

Justin Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion, had three straight bogeys from holes Nos. 4-6 to fall below the cut line. He has seven bogeys and zero birdies through 17 holes.

Webb Simpson, who won the U.S. Open the year before Rose, had a day to forget and finished eight over. Six bogeys on the front nine and a double bogey on No. 17 have all but sent Simpson home early.

All statistics via U.S. Open website.

Phil Mickelson shot a four-over 75 in the first round of U.S. Open play at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California on Thursday, and he blamed at least part of his poor outing on the fans. 

Mickelson was frustrated by fans who were using their cell phone cameras, particularly on the No. 13 hole, when he had to back away on three occasions to request that a camera be turned off. A police officer was involved after his third ask, according to Bob Harig of ESPN.

He bogeyed that hole en route to his finish, which had him eight strokes behind clubhouse leader Russell Henley. 

Mickelson, who turned 51 on Wednesday, acknowledged that spectators—and interference—were just "part of professional golf" and said he could have done a better job of managing the distractions internally. 

"You have to learn to deal with it," he said. "I don't understand why you just can't turn that little button on the side into silent. I probably didn't deal with it internally as well as I could have or as well as I need to. It's part of playing the game out here at this level. Certainly I didn't do the best job of dealing with it." 

Mickelson, who has won at Torrey Pines three times before it was renovated in 2001, said he "was fighting hard" throughout his opening round but struggled with "getting anything going."

The oldest major champion after claiming the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, South Carolina last month, Mickelson is seeking a career grand slam. He has five second-place finishes in the U.S. Open, most recently in 2013, but the U.S. Open is the only major that has evaded him thus far.

He tees off with Max Homa (+5) and Xander Schauffele (-2) at 4:36 p.m. ET on Friday. 

 

Aaron Rodgers and Bryson DeChambeau have opened as the favorites over Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson in Capital One's The Match on July 6 at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana.

The tandem of Rodgers and DeChambeau are -167 (bet $167 to win $100) at DraftKings Sportsbook, with Brady and Mickelson collectively a +130 underdog.

Aaron Rodgers & Bryson DeChambeau (-167) open as the favorite in The Match IV pic.twitter.com/TBpuYc5cCK

— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) June 2, 2021

Those odds likely reflect some skepticism about whether Mickelson can continue to perform at the level he did in his PGA Championship victory. The 50-year-old is 162nd on the PGA Tour in scoring average (71.813) and 138th in greens in regulation (63.78 percent). He fell back to earth at the Charles Schwab Challenge in late May, missing the cut altogether.

DeChambeau, on the other hand, has two victories and six top-10 finishes in 13 events this season.

Mickelson and Brady may be energized by their desire to atone for their loss to Peyton Manning and Tiger Woods in May 2020.

It’s game time! My partner @tombrady and I are back and ready to settle some unfinished business. See you in Montana @AaronRodgers12 @b_dechambeau https://t.co/gCidYwsfMr

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) May 26, 2021

Brady proved the skeptics wrong recently when he guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title. Maybe he can do it again with the six-time major champion.

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If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

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Bryson DeChambeau is confident he'll comfortably outdrive Phil Mickelson during the latest edition of Capital One's The Match on July 6.

"Phil outdrive me at The Match? There is no way," DeChambeau told Steve DiMeglio of Golfweek on Saturday. "That week I'm coming out with the long driver and I'll have the spin rate dialed in and there's no chance he'll ever get close to my ball speed. He won't get close to my drives."

DeChambeau, 27, leads the PGA Tour in average driving distance (322.5). While Mickelson, 50, is tied for 48th in that stat (302.5), he was able to deliver some bombs off the tee when he needed them en route to the PGA Championship title earlier this month.

Mickelson ranked 15th in average drive distance at the tournament, although his 313.3-yard average still trailed DeChambeau's 327.6-yard mark, which led the tournament.

Both golfers should have the green light in the tee box in The Match, which will take place 7,500 feet above sea level at The Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana.

DeChambeau, who'll team with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to take on Mickelson and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, used a Star Wars analogy for the matchup.

"It's like the Jedis against the Empire. We're put here trying to fight for good and they're working for the Empire," he told DiMeglio. "It's going to be a fun match. I've always wanted to be a part of it ever since I saw Tiger and Phil go at it. It's great for the game of golf. I think it will grow the game where people are going to be able to bet on it and enjoy the entertainment."

The 2020 U.S. Open champion added he's already been in contact with Rodgers to work on their game plan.

"I've talked to him quite a bit on the phone and we're coming up with some plans," DeChambeau said. "We'll be ready. And we know there is going to be no shortage of banter in this match, so we'll be ready for that, too."

The Match will feature donations to Feeding America and other charitable organizations. Coverage will begin at 5 p.m. ET on July 6 on TNT.

Phil Mickelson may have shot a three-over 73 to in the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge on Thursday, but he's naturally in great spirits after taking home the PGA Championship last weekend:

"Yeah, I didn't play well...

but I won the PGA so...🤷‍♂️"pic.twitter.com/8OcQWgaC5u

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 27, 2021

The six-time major winner outlasted Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen by two strokes apiece to take home the Wanamaker Trophy at the Ocean Course in Kiawah Island (South Carolina) Golf Resort following a six-under result. It was his first major win since taking home The Open Championship in 2013.

Thursday did not go as well for Mickelson, who explained his difficulties at Colonial Golf Course in Fort Worth, Texas.

"It was almost like I was trying a little too hard, and I wasn't just calm and let it happen, and I was a little bit antsy," Mickelson said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com), which also noted that the 50-year-old used the term "unsettled."

"Like I just couldn't quite get calmed down in that same frame of mind," Mickelson added.

Mickelson is 10 shots behind co-leaders Jordan Spieth and Sergio Garcia, but not all is lost for the left-hander, who is only one shot below the two-over cut line.

However, as Mickelson noted, he's still riding the good vibes from the PGA Championship, which he hopes will help him turn the tide around on Friday.

"You can't play this course out of the rough because then you have tree trouble, which I had repeatedly, and I didn't putt well," he said. "But I won the PGA, so I'll see if I can get it turned around for tomorrow and get a little better focus, a little better energy."

Mickelson's PGA Championship win made him the oldest-ever golfer (and the only one 50 or older) to take home a major title.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and 2020 U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau will be taking on Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller Tom Brady and six-time major winner Phil Mickelson in the fourth edition of Capital One's "The Match"

The trash talk is already flowing, with Brady making his mark on social media Wednesday. Rodgers has responded, however, with this Star Wars-themed offering:

https://twitter.com/AaronRodgers12/status/1397729571693232128

Brady fired off a few memes Wednesday, using a still image featuring Brooks Koepka's annoyance at DeChambeau interrupting his PGA Championship interview last weekend:

pic.twitter.com/85G0OKpdOA

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) May 26, 2021

pic.twitter.com/H8XqiMCJpk

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) May 26, 2021

The latest edition of Capital One's "The Match" will occur on Tuesday, July 6, with TNT providing the television coverage starting at 5 p.m. ET. Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana will host the charity match, which will include donations to Feeding America and other causes.