Since the first edition in 2018, featuring PGA Tour royalty Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, the celebrity golf series known as ‘The Match’ has been hugely popular with fans and bettors. The next three installments featured two-man teams competing against each other, and this time there are no professional golfers involved. Instead, on Wednesday, June 1, we’ll see first ballot Hall of Famers Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers square off against young guns Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes in a 12-hole made-for-TV event.
If experience counts for anything, Brady and Rodgers have the upper hand on both the football field and the golf course. They have both previously competed in The Match and are the betting favorites. Meanwhile, Allen and Mahomes, who had an epic battle in the NFL playoffs last season, will make their debuts in The Match series. The teams will compete at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas at 6:30 p.m. ET, with TNT providing live coverage.
The Match VI Winner Odds
Tom Brady / Aaron Rodgers -190
Josh Allen / Patrick Mahomes +165
The Players
A favorite pastime of NFL quarterbacks is golf and we have 4 of the best going head-to-head. Brady and Rodgers have not only played and won on the biggest stage in the NFL they are also grizzled veterans of The Match franchise. The two played in the most recent team Match last summer with Rodgers and Bryson DeChambeau taking out Brady and Mickelson. Brady also competed in the second installment alongside Lefty in 2020 losing to Woods and Peyton Manning. And we know Brady doesn’t like losing so going 0-2 in this event isn’t sitting well with him. Rodgers won in his debut last summer and wields some wicked sticks. According to the USGA’s handicap system Rodgers carries a 4.6 index while Brady is at 8.1.
They lack their opponents’ experience in The Match, but Allen and Mahomes are no slouches. They are exceptional athletes with a passion for the game, but neither has achieved competitive success. Mahomes finished tied for 50th in the American Century Classic last August. Meanwhile, Allen made his debut in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament in February, but he and teammate Keith Mitchell both missed the cut. The Bills quarterback performed admirably for the most part, guiding his team to a 15-under-par total, four shots below the cut line. Allen’s handicap index is 8.1, which is similar to Brady’s. While Mahomes does not have an official handicap, his index is reported to be 7.7.
The Format
We’ve seen several different formats used in this event depending on who’s competing. This edition will be played under shambles rules with over 12 holes. If you’re not familiar with this format it’s a variation of the scramble. Each golfer hits a tee shot at every hole with the team selecting the best shot. Each team member will then play a second shot from that spot and be responsible for his own ball until the hole is completed. The best individual score is then recorded for the team.
The Course
The Wynn Golf Course in Las Vegas will serve as host for a second straight Match event. The feud between Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka was settled last November with Koepka winning 5 & 3. Playing at 6,722 yards from the back tees, the layout has several unique hole configurations and numerous hazards for a resort course. It’s not long and it certainly isn’t easy, which could work against Allen/Mahomes, who both like to bomb away without much accuracy.
Our Prediction
Rodgers is a strong player who will more than compensate for Brady’s mistakes on a course that will most likely be a tough test for all participants. We know Allen and Mahomes can hit the snot out of the ball, but we have no idea where it is going, which is a problem on a tricky layout. The Brady/Rodgers team knows how to pace and will take what is given to them, which in this case is a big win over the underdogs.
