Showdown at Shadow Creek with Rory, Scottie, Brooks, and Bryson Was Piles of Fun

The Showdown showcased three different golf formats in one 18-hole session. It starred players people have heard of and want to see, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Kopeka, and Bryson DeChambeau.

It had microphones on the guys so we could hear what the players were saying. It gave us a “duel in the pool” – sorry to borrow a swimming term – mentality with two players from LIV playing two from the PGA Tour. It had a golf course that usually is seen only by high rollers who stay at certain Vegas hotels. And the icing on the cake: it even had cryptocurrency payment.

The real genius of The Showdown was that it changed format every six holes.

A great idea whose time has finally come. Then to have two guys from one team playing two guys from another team – especially LIV and the PGA Tour – it was a perfect situation.

It was like a Ryder Cup in one round. Each six-hole segment was a match, and the score carried forward. 

The first six holes, they played best ball. The second six holes, they played alternate shot, the hardest format, especially for players who are having difficulty finding fairways. The third was singles, where four played, but it was two twosomes of one guy from LIV and one guy from the PGA Tour. Look for many courses to play this kind of tournament in 2025 just because it looks like it’s fun and it requires different skills every six holes. If you are great in best ball, maybe you are horrible in alternate shot.

The event planners did take the gracious way out and had Scheffler playing Koepka and McIlroy against DeChambeau. Scheffler and DeChambeau are both from Dallas and -- who knows -- that could have caused friction. Koepka and McIlroy both play the same courses in south Florida, and that could have put nerves on edge but Rory has recently said he sees Brooks all the time and they get along. So well-handled there by the organizers.     

Rory and Scottie did so well in the first Showdown segment that they won it in just four holes, so they picked up after the 4th hole and headed to No. 7. That improved the pace of play considerably! For winning that segment, they got 1 point. 

In alternate shot, the second segment, the PGA Tour won two holes, LIV won one hole and the rest were tied. So, the PGA Tour, after 12 holes, two of which they didn’t play, were 2 up. 

By this time it was dark, and it was interesting to see how the change in conditions affected play. The wind came up. The air and grass got cool and damp, and the golf ball didn't roll out as far or fly in the air the same distance as when it was light. Either that or the players just misjudged some shots. How would you know? Nobody plays golf in the dark. Well, nobody normal. 

Rory and Scottie put Brooks and Bryson away at the 16th hole. Everybody shook hands and no fights ensued.

In addition to providing a different and fun kind of golf, the Showdown revealed which players have their games grooved in December. It's actually kind of unusual for everyone to be spot-on in the off-season. So much so that Mr. November, otherwise known as Fred Couples, used to rake in all kinds of money in the Silly Season events for one reason. As he once put it: “If they don’t practice and I don’t practice, I can beat them.”

Take what you want from that phrase. Fred didn’t explain it. He just said it. One of those one-liner Fred-isms. Kind of like the time he played TV commentator at Kapalua and as the announcers watched a guy take a face plant off a surfboard, he simply quipped “Facial.”

But back to season-ending form. Looking at the play from Scottie and Rory, they seemed close to tournament sharp. Maybe they made a pact to be sure they both practiced so that they would come out on top. These, as well as other things, we will never know. But what we do know for sure is that the Showdown is one of the best inventions that Silly Season has seen in a long time. 

Now it seems someone is bringing back The Skins Game which used to be played Saturday and Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. Can’t wait for that to happen. Have some up close and personal experience with that event!