Tiger, Manning Now -205 Favorite vs Phil, Brady in The Match: Champions for Charity Odds
By Chris Amberley in Golf
Updated: March 19, 2021 at 12:22 pm EDTPublished:
- Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning are currently -205 favorites over Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady in The Match: Champions for Charity
- Early money moved the line down to -190, but the majority of the weekend action has been on Tiger and Manning
- See below for a preview and a prediction on which pair will win the match
Exhibition golf returns Sunday (May 24, 3pm ET) as rivals from the links and the gridiron square-off. Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning are -205 favorites over Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady in the Match: Champions for Charity.
The Match: Champions for Charity Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tiger Woods/Peyton Manning | -205 |
| Phil Mickelson/Tom Brady | +164 |
All odds taken May 24th
Woods and Manning opened at -200, and while early money shortened the line to -190, the majority of the weekend action has been on the favorites .
The underdogs meanwhile, were familiarizing themselves with the host venue earlier this week, joining PGA stars Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay for a round at The Medalist.
.@TomBrady and I are putting in some work before The Match.
Great to be out here at The Medalist with @patrick_cantlay and @JustinThomas34 getting us familiar with the course … where we’ll beat Tiger (again) and Peyton on Sunday. #LetsGo pic.twitter.com/Cfw5H63DqJ
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) May 22, 2020
The Case for the ‘Dogs?
Mickelson’s reputation in money games is legendary and he and Tiger will likely have plenty of side action on Sunday. Lefty has been practically living at the golf course in preparation for this event, so you can expect his game to be in mid-season form.
Charley Hoffman, who plays often with @PhilMickelson plenty, says Phil playing a lot of golf, often 36 holes a day, and should be ready for #TheMatch. "He's the most competitive person I know."
— Dave Shedloski (@DaveShedloski) May 20, 2020
Not much was known about Brady’s game until recently, but rumor has it he’s just as competitive on the course as he is on the field. He plays to an 8.1 index at Riviera among other courses, and recently joined Seminole, host of last week’s wildly successful TaylorMade Driving Relief charity event.
He can throw it a long way. 🏈
He can hit it a long way. 🏌️♂️@TomBrady's swing looks ready for this weekend. pic.twitter.com/E2wEkq30zS— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 19, 2020
Brady is a big hitter and reportedly has a soft touch around the greens. His length will come in handy given the fact that The Medalist plays nearly 7,200 yards from the championship tees. It’s hard to imagine a more competitive pair than Mickelson and Brady, so getting such favorable odds on them feels like a steal.
QB’s Will Play a Bigger Role Than Most Think
Now that we know the format for this event, it’s clear the QB’s will play a big role. The front nine will be a best-ball format with Brady and Manning getting an extra stroke on three holes. The back nine will be a modified alternate shot format, meaning the QB’s golf games will be under the microscope.
What do you think of Peyton Manning's swing ahead of Sunday's match? 🏌️♂️ pic.twitter.com/7H3sPIna1y
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 20, 2020
Manning may play to a lower index than Brady (6.4) but he’s allegedly inconsistent around the greens according to a PGA Tour regular who’s played with him a bunch. With all the big money up for grabs in the alternate shot format, Peyton’s choppy short game could be what holds his team back.
Follow the Line Move
The biggest question mark in this the event is the health of Tiger. He’s teed it up in just two PGA Tour events in 2020, and hasn’t played a competitive round since mid-February. No one knows the status of his injured back, and the uncertainty of his health is a big red flag.
The stage is set for Sunday. 💯 pic.twitter.com/tTZnaDR0H7
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 22, 2020
Meanwhile, Mickelson is working on his game like he’s prepping for a Major, and Brady’s skillset seems like a better fit than Manning’s for this format. This line should be much closer than it is and all the value currently lies with the underdogs.
Pick: Mickelson/Brady (+164)
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
