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The Match: How Off-Course Drama Could Increase Intrigue

By Christian Paszko

HOBE SOUND, FLORIDA - MAY 24: Phil Mickelson reads a putt for NFL player Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the 17th green during The Match: Champions For Charity at Medalist Golf Club on May 24, 2020 in Hobe Sound, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for The Match)
HOBE SOUND, FLORIDA - MAY 24: Phil Mickelson reads a putt for NFL player Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the 17th green during The Match: Champions For Charity at Medalist Golf Club on May 24, 2020 in Hobe Sound, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for The Match) /
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Nothing like The Match to give us some entertaining midweek exhibition golf. The duel will be between the teams of Bryson DeChambeau and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers against Phil Mickelson and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.

The Match was always going to be intriguing, pairing two professionals with NFL quarterbacks in an alternate shot match is interesting enough. However, a few extra layers of drama surfaced over the course of the weekend.

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We’ll start with Bryson DeChambeau sacking his caddie the day before the Rocket Mortgage Classic. The switch was made and DeChambeau didn’t just not play well, but wasn’t even really close to making the cut.

DeChambeau didn’t really do any favors for himself in the PR department by just not talking to media at all over the weekend, go figure. With as much access as we’ll get on Tuesday, maybe we get some insight to the situation.

Now the Phil Mickelson story. A story in The Detroit News from years prior resurfaced, claiming that Mickelson had hosed a Michigan bookie out of multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Mickelson, obviously not happy, said that he wouldn’t play in the event again after this. He also called it “more a smear attempt” via his Twitter.

The Detroit News had apparently obtained records from a federal court trial from back in 2007. Mickelson has since said that if a petition reaches 50,000 signatures, he might return in the future.

We also have the Aaron Rodgers situation with the Packers and how their relationship has deteriorated so quickly. Rodgers was the NFL MVP last year, and has made his displeasure with the team very known.

Nobody really has any idea what Rodgers may do as we approach the start of training camp. No real drama for Tom Brady though, besides the fact that a majority of football fans hate him, but that’s just business as usual.

What I’m really anxious to see is how the broadcast handles all of this. I’m not expecting them to really be big issues, partly because this is for charity and not a PGA sanctioned event.

Brian Anderson will host along with Cheyenne Woods, Trevor Immelman, Larry Fitzgerald, and, of course, Sir Charles himself, Charles Barkley.

Charles is the one you have to watch here. He is never afraid to stir the pot, and is almost always successful in doing it, which is why he trends on Twitter just about every week during the NBA season.

Usually nothing is out of bounds for Barkley, but I have to wonder if the higher ups at Turner Sports have told him to steer away from those topics. All three of them are primed for examination, and Chuck will normally not hesitate.

dark. Next. 2021 Rocket Mortgage: Winners and Losers from Detroit

The Match should be a very fun event, though, regardless of what might come up during the broadcast. The Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana should yield some breathtaking views, it has a chance to be one of the most scenic golf events ever on television.

The Match will be broadcast on TBS, TNT, and truTV starting at 5 P.M. ET. It should be fun and also, for a good cause with the proceeds going to My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, Feeding America, and the Montana Food Bank Network.

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