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As it happenedended

Phil Mickelson defeats Tiger Woods in 'The Match' to clinch $9 million

Relive all the action as two golfing greats went head-to-head in Las Vegas

Tom Kershaw
Friday 23 November 2018 16:57 GMT
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Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson face off ahead of $9m match

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Phil Mickelson beat Tiger Woods in overtime Friday in their $9 million pay-per-view match in Las Vegas.

Mickelson won on the 22nd hole, making a 4-foot birdie putt on a specially set up 93-yard, par 3. The match at Shadow Creek Golf Club finished under floodlights.

Mickelson said to Woods after the match: "Just know I will never let you live that down. It's not the Masters or the U.S. Open, but it is nice to have a little something on you."

Woods said he enjoyed the match, even if he was on the losing end.

"You couldn't have made this event any better than it was," he said. "It was back and forth and very competitive on a golf course that was playing on the tricky side."

AP

Relive all the action below

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Preview

When does it start?

The contest takes place on November 23 with the two players set to tee-off at 20:00 UK time.

Mickelson faces Woods in Vegas
Mickelson faces Woods in Vegas (Getty)

What is at stake?

As well as the $9m winner takes all prize, the pair will set each other a number of side challenges with $200,000 said to be wagered between them on birdieing the first hole alone.

Can you watch it on TV in the UK?

Sky Sports Golf acquired the rights to the event late on Thursday evening and the live broadcast is set to begin on Friday at 20:00 UK time. Subscribers will be able to stream the whole event live via SkyGo.

In the US, the event is being broadcast on pay-per-view at the price of $19.99 by Bleacher Report Live and other cable service providers. 

Odds...

Tiger Woods (4/9)

Phil Mickelson (7/4)

Phil Mickelson:

"The first ten years he [Woods] owned me. The last ten years I've got the better of him." 

Tom Kershaw23 November 2018 20:05

Seven-time PGA Tour winner Peter Jacobsen:

I favour Phil because it means more to him than it does to Tiger. It's hard to put a probability on passion and desire, and that's the one thing we know about Phil. He rises to the occasion, especially when there's something to play for and he knows that Tiger has been the guy to keep him from ascending to the No1 position in the world ranking so Phil is looking for payback.

Tom Kershaw23 November 2018 20:13

And now over to Tiger by the first-tee on how his relationship with Phil has developed over the years:

I think that we've got to know each other the last few years. I was out for a couple of years and I was vice-captain and we really got to plan and strategise all the cups. We've gone from not really knowing each other to knowing each other really well, and we find that we have a lot of the same interests and a lot of the same likes and dislikes. 

Tom Kershaw23 November 2018 20:21

Phil talks about the challenges of going head-to-head with Tiger:

So the tough thing when you play against Tiger is you'll get into his game, you'll watch what he does and in match-play it's important to know what he's doing but I've got to be at my best so I've got to block that out and focus on hitting shots, making putts and birdies. Worrying about executing at my end because I think why Tiger is so intimidating to so many players and why they're not at their best when they're with him is because they get caught up in what he does.

What I've been doing over the last few years when I've had a minuscule amount of success is to block that out and focus on my own game.

Tom Kershaw23 November 2018 20:25

Samuel L. Jackson is now introducing the players on the first tee

Tom Kershaw23 November 2018 20:28

And we're underway. Both players have teed-off comfortably and are now dabbling in some very forced and lukewarm conversation. First we debate the merits of going first or second from the fairway. Then the condition of the course. Only a weather forecast awaits. Oh wait, we've got that now too.

Tom Kershaw23 November 2018 20:31

It's Woods to go first having just trickled into the right rough but his approach is pinpoint and lands within birdie range. A reminder that this first hole has $200,000 waged on it.

Tom Kershaw23 November 2018 20:32

Mickelson follows very closely and is just inside Woods with an uphill putt.

Tom Kershaw23 November 2018 20:33

Tiger's putt slips by. Mickelson now has a $200,000 putt on the first hole. He's taking an absolute age over it but leaves it outside the hole. The astronomical headline-grabbing bet comes to nothing.

Tom Kershaw23 November 2018 20:35

Both players walk, talk and swear their way to the second hole and both bomb a driver down the fairway.

Tom Kershaw23 November 2018 20:39

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