Bleah!
Yeah, as Tiger tweeted Thursday — “It’s on!”
To which Phil tweeted back: “I bet you think this is the easiest $9 million you will ever make…”
And with that folks, the four-letter network dropped on us that this ridiculous one-on-one, head-to-head match between Eldrick Tont Woods and Philip Alfred Mickelson will indeed become a reality in our lives on Friday, November 23.
Place for this Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas will be Steve Wynn’s Shadow Creek, playground of high rollers from his casino.
Now here’s the buzz kill — it will only be for $9 million, not $10 million. How dare they?
Here’s what’s even worse — this duel between the two well-into-their 40s guys is going to be a Pay Per View event. Yep, if you want to see this, you’re going to have to pony-up although they’re not telling us yet what amount of your hard-earned dollars you’ll have to fork over if you want to spend three or four hours with Tiger and Philly Mick. Oh yeah, for added entertainment, they’re going to mic-up the players and caddies so you can share in their most intimate moments.
“Whatta ‘ya think Joey? Eight or nine?”
“It’s a stock seven, Phil.”
Heck, maybe they’ll have Bones Mackay on the ground for this one.
So are you willing to fork out money on the day-after Thanksgiving?
Our answer is easy:
That’s an Oh-Hell To The No!
No thanks, Nyet, Nein, Non. That’s Negatory-Ghost Rider in whatever language you speak.
The books at BetDSI sports book have Woods at -170 and Phil at +140. That means in order to win $1 on Tiger, you have to bet $1.70. For Phil, if you bet $1 and he wins, you win $1.40 per dollar you bet. Thus Tiger is a hefty favorite.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — this one is about 15 years too late.
If you go by recent form, Tiger’s been beating the pants off of Phil lately. Take the PGA. Tiger made a Sunday run that had everyone at Bellerive going ape-shit, to put it mildly. He finished second behind Brooks Koepka, just two shots back. Phil was back home hanging with the kids. His 73-71 didn’t make the cut.
At Firestone, Phil got the edge on Tiger. Phil shot 66-69-72-70 — three-under at Firestone while Tiger’s unimpressive 66-68-73-73 left him at even par.
This week we’ve got the first round of the playoffs at the Northern Trust.
Meanwhile, back to this Vegas deal.
No details of who is putting up the money. Obviously the companies with the Pay Per View are forking it over — DirecTV, Turner B/R live and AT&T U-verse, whatever those are. Surprising that somehow Don King didn’t get his hands on this one.
The money should really come from the club sponsors for Mickelson and Woods — Callaway vs. TaylorMade. They’re the two big-boys in the equipment arms race so they should pony up $5 million each, make it a cool $10 million and show it for free.
Which brings us back to Mickelson’s retort to Tiger’s “It’s On” tweet.
Notice Mickelson’s tweet started with “I bet….”
And therein lies the big question.
Mickelson’s propensity for betting has been well-documented — see convicted felon Billy Walters — a known Mickelson associate, a direct violation of the PGA Tour’s handbook.
What’s to prevent Lefty from placing several bets on Eldrick, perhaps to the tune of $10 to $15 million, albeit through third parties, and bagging himself a nice payday without the stress of trying to grind out a match-play win over Woods?
No oddsmakers thus far are setting Mickelson up as the favorite.
In this case, good old Lefty, all 48 years of him, could have a direct effect on the outcome.
Think about that.
Then decide if you want to pay to watch this fiasco.
14 Comments
10Hockey
No way I am going to pay to watch ANY golf ! Not sure this is good for golf ( the rich getting richer). I think golfers already have an image that they are spoiled rich guys and this does not help the game or golf in general. If they were to donate all of the money to a charity then that is a different story .
Tom Edrington
10: From what I’ve seen on social media, you have many who feel the way you do, myself included!
Zgolf17
Pass…as I have stated before, two self promotors out to run a scam on anybody who will pay…very good point brought out about the gambler man in Phil, the fox in the henhouse…lol
Concentrate on winning some tournaments, this is where I enjoy watching these two men play the game.
JZ
Tom Edrington
JZ: well said, I think you speak for a lot of folks out there who feel exactly as you do!
baxter cepeda
Certainly disappointed its pay per view too Tom, but if there is anything which may get me to pay for one view of something it is this.
I have to disagree this is 15 years late. Tiger and Phil are in a great place in their careers to play at a high level but also have some fun with each other.
The big take here is for the PGa Tour, whose too often anticlimactic playoff finale struggles to get the attention it deserves even when the two biggest names of golf are in contention; it happened at least once with Tiger and Phil. Whats clear is Even the biggest names in golf cannot carry that sorry excuse for a playoff; hence all the adjusting around football instead of creating a truly compelling finale. Instead of movingbthe house to avoid football The pga tour has its playoff foundation set but now they just have to build something people will buy. Tiger and Phil are basically showing them how, not thatbit is bot onbious to most of us already.
As I have been arguing for years two men (or even more) competing straight up for 10$mill, winner take all…would bring a ton of eyes to the pga tour finale based on simplicity alone. Even if it was Rafa Cabrera Bello vs Harris English more people would be interested than the current playiffs; regardless of how many big names have a “chance”.
So imagine the possibilities when Phil and Tiger compete for such a big prize in a clear to follow competition. Even at unfair pay per prices I would not be surprised if the pay event has better ratings that a pga tour free playiff finale; even with Tiger and Phil involved.
Because the people have spoken. We want clarity more than anything.
Tom Edrington
Baxter: They had to go Pay Per View because no networks wanted it. Football season, that Friday is also biggest shopping day of the year…..I’ll be watching a football game after hitting golf balls in the morning. Also early indication show not many are willing to pay to watch this, it won’t have many eyes on it.
baxter cepeda
Thats like saying prize fights are on pay per view because no networks want them.
People will pay for this. Many more will go places like bars to watch it.
It will likely be talked about more on espn the next day than whoever wins the Fed Ex Cup most years, unless its Tiger or Phil.
It would be cool if Tiger and Phil made it an even 10$ million bet with their own half mill each into the pot.
It would also be nice to know how much they will be betting for charity.
Finally it would be nice to know how much each would give of their 9$plus million to charity. And what the benefitting charities are. All these angles would help increase the paying audience.
This spectacle will only work great, setting up future matchups, if it is an feel Good event.
If the two players, as well as all the other ultra rich parties involved, are ultra generous, they will increase audience, only improve their images, and therefore their brands for decades to come.
Its possible to imagine an annual match between these two for at least a decade to come. But it cannot be a money grab. It needs to be done with good purpose.
Tom Edrington
First, bars are pretty deserted the day after Thanksgiving. Second, bars always prefer to show football over golf. Third, bars won’t pay the extra fee they charge bars for pay per views. I’m not the only one who thinks this lays an egg. I’ve been polling everyone I run into and its basically a unanimous thumbs-down. However, I’m sure they will gladly take your money, Baxter!
pjevans
I was moderately interested in the outcome, until I heard it was pay-per-view and sponsor’s money – not their own. I think interest level for this type of even will be relatively low, especially when there’s only two players (both past their prime). Also, there’s going to be a lot of dead-air time as they walk from shot-to-shot. Now as a pay-per-view event, I could care less. Even if it was $5.99, I’ll pass…
Tom Edrington
PJ: You and a lot of people will pass on this, football season’s on and we don’t have to pay to watch!
Gilarias
A gimmick scoring system would increase interest. Here it is: a player receives a point if he makes a par in any way and an extra point if he makes that par in a special way. (I will reveal this special way if there’s any interest.). Nothing else counts. The winner is the player with the most points after the specified number of holes are played. I also have a tie breaker.
Tom Edrington
I sure vote no on that….
baxter cepeda
Are you polling that old lady friend of yours again Tom?
Tom Edrington
Actually, I hang out with a lot of fellow golfers, many were really, really good amateur players, we’ve been playing the game, most of us, since we were 10, which means my circle of influence has hundreds of years of tournament and just weekend golf experience…….none of them will watch this either, so there Baxter, no old ladies, just a bunch of guys who could hit it 280 with balata balls and persimmon drivers.