October 06, (THEWILL) – The battle that has piqued the interest of the entire golf world is finally taking place.
Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka are preparing to compete in golf’s equivalent of a prize fight, a 12-hole battle in Las Vegas, after months of back-and-forth. The Match, which is presented by Turner Sports, will take place the day after Thanksgiving at The Wynn Golf Club, just steps from the Strip.
The event on November 26 will be the first one-on-one encounter since the first edition in 2018, when Tiger Woods faced Phil Mickelson the day after Thanksgiving.
DeChambeau and Koepka will play a 12-hole duel this time, putting an end to their on-course dispute. Turner broadcasters Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson are anticipated to be on the call. The fifth Match will be the first without Mickelson competing, however he is anticipated to participate in some way.
Later this week, an official announcement will be made with further information on the structure and stakes.
The match will try to put an end to a long-running spat between DeChambeau and Koepka, which began in January 2019 when Koepka criticised DeChambeau’s tempo of play.
“I just don’t understand how it takes a minute and 20 seconds, or a minute and 15 to hit a golf ball — it’s not that hard,” he remarked.
Things heated up at the Northern Trust, the opening tournament of the 2019 FedEx Cup Playoffs, when the two clashed on the putting green, but they eventually agreed to put the past behind them.
But the truce did not last long. In the ESPN Body Issue, DeChambeau took aim at Koepka’s body, and Koepka responded with a photo of his trophies, to open old scars.
An outtake from a Koepka interview with Todd Lewis leaked from the PGA Championship last spring, reigniting the feud. In the video, DeChambeau and his caddie walk by mid-interview, and Koepka shows his displeasure by rolling his eyes, saying a few choice things, and ultimately starting the next chapter of the rivalry.
When DeChambeau’s teaming up with Aaron Rodgers for the last Match — versus Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson — was announced, Koepka joined in on Twitter, sparking a quick back-and-forth.
The following part was arguably the strangest: during events, Koepka’s followers began calling DeChambeau “Brooksy,” which escalated to fans being booted out of tournaments for heckling, Koepka providing those fans free beer
There were plenty of other minor developments but the two agreed to get along at the Ryder Cup, where they ended the week with a hug in front of the assembled press.
The Match will be the latest in a string of the event. At Shadow Creek, also in Las Vegas, Tiger Woods faced Phil Mickelson in the first edition of The Match; Mickelson won on the fourth playoff hole.
Both golfing legends reunited for the second match, but this time with different partners: Woods teamed up with Peyton Manning, while Mickelson teamed up with Tom Brady. They played at Medalist, Woods’ home course, and Woods and Manning won 1 up after fending off a late assault.
Mickelson and Charles Barkley competed in The Match III at Stone Canyon in Arizona, defeating Manning and Steph Curry 4 and 3.
DeChambeau and Rodgers defeated Team Brady/Mickelson 3 to 2 in the most recent Match, which took place this summer.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
