Rory McIlroy will headline the first mixed edition of “Capital One’s The Match” on February 26, tournament organisers have announced.
The four-time major champion will face Max Homa, Lexi Thompson and Roze Zhang in the 12-hole “skins” event at The Park in Florida, with each hole worth a specified amount for charity.
All four players will use the same tee for the four par-three holes, while the remaining eight holes featured in the floodlit contest will use varying tees and yardages for the men and women.
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The golfer raising the most funds through the skins format at the end of the event will be declared the winner, with details on the designated holes and challenges to come in the next few weeks.
The contest will be staged under floodlights and is scheduled to get under way at 6.35pm local time (11.35pm GMT), with the latest event the ninth edition since the exhibition matches were launched in 2018.
“I’m so excited to play in The Match,” Zhang told Sports Illustrated. “I’ve enjoyed watching this franchise over the years. I’m honoured to tee it up alongside Rory, Max and Lexi and know we’ll have a blast raising money to help make the game more accessible for all.”
What has previously happened in The Match?
McIlroy last played in The Match in December 2022, where he and Tiger Woods were beaten by Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas at Pelican Golf Club in Florida.
Rory McIlroy’s appearance at The Match will be his second since it launched
Woods lost to Phil Mickelson in the inaugural event before partnering Peyton Manning to victory in the next edition against Mickelson and NFL legendary quarterback Tom Brady.
Brooks Koepka beating Bryson DeChambeau was another edition in 2021, while Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, Steph Curry and Charles Barkley are among the other sports stars to previously feature.
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McIlroy’s road to latest Masters push
McIlroy has already confirmed he will have a busier early-season schedule than previous years ahead of The Masters, telling Golf Digest he will make it his “eighth or ninth event of the year”, with the switch the latest way to try and end the long wait for an elusive fifth major.
He will next feature at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am from February 1-4 ahead of the Genesis Invitational from February 15-18, then will play the Arnold Palmer Invitational from March 7-10 before The Players the following week.
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The rest of his pre-Masters schedule has yet to be confirmed, with a trip to the Cognizant Classic – an event he won when it was the Honda Classic in 2012 – marks the start of the Florida Swing and takes place the same week as The Match.
The Valero Texas Open – where McIlroy played in 2022 the week before Augusta National – is among the other additional options, with the former world No 1 looking to complete the Grand Slam when The Masters takes place from April 11-14.
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