Report: Tiger Woods And Rory McIlroy To Headline The Match VII

Four of the game's biggest names look set to appear in the seventh edition of exhibition match

Tiger Woods smiling at the 2022 Open Championship
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The latest edition of 'The Match' is set to feature an all-star cast of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas

According to the Fried Egg, multiple sources have reported the made-for-TV exhibition event has been pencilled in for December 10 at Pelican Golf Club outside of Tampa and could even be played under floodlights.

Woods hasn't teed it up in competition since July's Open Championship at St Andrews but was spotted playing the par-3 course at Pebble Beach at the beginning of October. 

It was expected he would next feature at the Hero World Challenge, which he hosts, as he continues his recovery from career-threatening injuries sustained in a high-speed car crash in February of 2021.

At this year's Masters, Woods admitted he would never play a full schedule again and that he was lucky doctors were able to save his leg. Remarkably, he went on to make the cut at Augusta National and was inside the top-10 following a first-round 71.

Since then, the 15-time Major champion has shown glimpses of his best golf but has struggled to put four rounds together due to his physical condition. He was forced to withdraw after three rounds at the PGA Championship and opted to skip the US Open in order to prepare the The Open at St Andrews, where he missed the cut.

Woods has played in 'The Match' before, losing out to Phil Mickelson in the $9 million inaugural shootout before gaining revenge alongside Payton Manning as the duo defeated Mickelson and Tom Brady. 

If confirmed, this will be the seventh iteration of the exhibition event and first for McIlroy, Spieth and Thomas. The teams are as yet unknown and a broadcaster hasn't been announced.

Andrew Wright
Freelance News Writer

A lifelong golf fan, Andy graduated in 2019 with a degree in Sports Journalism and got his first role in the industry as the Instruction Editor for National Club Golfer. From there, he decided to go freelance and now covers a variety of topics for Golf Monthly. 

Andy took up the game at the age of seven and even harboured ambitions of a career in the professional ranks for a spell. That didn’t pan out, but he still enjoys his weekend golf at Royal Troon and holds a scratch handicap. As a side note, he's made five holes-in-one and could quite possibly be Retief Goosen’s biggest fan.

As well as the above, some of Andy's work has featured on websites such as goal.com, dailyrecord.co.uk, and theopen.com.

What's in Andy's bag?

Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub-Zero (9°)

3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (15°)

Driving iron: Titleist U500 (17°)

Irons: Mizuno mp32 (4-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM9 (50°, 54° and 58°)

Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2.5

Ball: TaylorMade TP5x