The Match has returned, and this edition will be July 6th from The Reserve at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana. Previous The Match participants Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady will face Bryson DeChambeau and Aaron Rodgers over 18 holes of match play, with plenty of money for charity on the line.
But who will be the favored team? We asked DraftKings Sportsbook oddsmaker and noted movie buff Johnny Avello to set an early line for the event:
Odds to win The Match IV: (Updated July 6th 1 p.m.)
Bryson DeChambeau and Aaron Rodgers: -177
Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady: +130
Those numbers might be partially due to the length of DeChambeau, who can potentially overwhelm the 8,000-yard course that has five Par 5’s at 7,500 feet of elevation. While we might not know what the final score will be, we do know the guy that annoys Brooks Koepka will likely be hitting some absolute bombs during this round. There might not be a course anywhere more suited for the longest hitter on the PGA Tour.
As for Rodgers game, he’s never really competed in golf on this big a stage before. That might be an advantage for Brady, who started poorly but then hit this shot in the last match to get going and play well down the stretch.
But Rodgers did dominate at Jeopardy! the first time he had a buzzer in his hand, so his ability to adjust to new platforms under the spotlight shouldn’t be an issue.
As for Phil? He just became the oldest major winner in history. And it’s fair to say he generally doesn’t lack for confidence.
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