The Match moves away from golfers with Wayne Gretzky, Michael Phelps among celebrities competing in exhibition
This iteration of The Match is the first to be spread across two nights
by Patrick McDonald · CBS SportsThe 10th installment of The Match is set to take place across two nights, and it will be headlined by an all-entertainment cast of characters ranging from former athletes to comedians. Scheduled for Nov. 21-22, The Match will feature Wayne Gretzky, Michael Phelps and Charles Barkley among others as competitors team up in a 2-on-2 scramble match play format at Breakers West Country Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
"The Great One," who is also the father-in-law of Dustin Johnson and therefore been present at plenty of golf events recently, will team up with Bill Murray in the first match. They will be pitted against the duo of Barkley and Ken Griffey Jr. In the other quarterfinal, Phelps will team with Mark Wahlberg against Blake Griffin and comedian Nate Bargatze. The event will conclude with semifinals and finals played under individual match play with the eventual champion taking home $1 million.
Barkley will be the only player with any experience in this event as this will be his ninth time involved in any capacity, his second as a player. The NBA legend previously teamed with Phil Mickelson to defeat Stephen Curry and Peyton Manning.
Since beginning with only professional golfers, The Match has officially teetered to the other side of the spectrum as this edition represents the third without at least one professional participating. Tiger Woods played in the first two competitions against Mickelson, who saw action in three overall.
Bryson DeChambeau then took the baton for a couple matches before Woods returned alongside Rory McIlroy against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. The most recent version of The Match saw McIlroy claim victory at The Park over Lexi Thompson, Rose Zhang and Max Homa under the skins format.