McIlroy swipes '15 years late' Woods-Mickelson showdown
Count Rory McIlroy out of the Tiger Woods v Phil Mickelson one-on-one golf match on pay-per-view.
The two golf legends are playing off for a US$9 million purse at the Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas next week – an event closed off to the public.
With only certain VIPs allowed access, fans must pull $20 out of their wallets to watch it.
But McIlroy won’t be one of them.
The former world No.1 is so disinterested in the match-up that he even turned down the money to pay for it from Mickelson himself.
“I said, ‘Oh, I might pay to watch it,’ and (Mickelson) took $25 out of his pocket,” McIlroy told reporters of a recent lunch with the American golfing great.
“He said, ‘No, here’s $25. I’ll pay for it for you, thank you’.
“Look, jeez, if they had a done it 15 years ago it would have been great, but I think nowadays, it’s missed the mark a little bit.”
Woods and Mickelson have battled in tour events for more than 20 years.
Mickelson, 48, joined the PGA Tour in 1992 and Woods, 42, in 1996. Their first match-up was the following year.
Woods holds 80 Tour titles, including the Tour Championship this year.
Yet before that victory he hadn’t won since 2013 as injuries took hold following a turbulent time in his personal life.
He has the second-most major victories of all-time at 14, with four consecutive in 2000 and 2001.
Mickelson has 43 Tour titles, including the 2018 World Golf Championships-Mexico Championships to end a five-year drought.
He has five major victories, though none at the US Open – where has finished runner-up six times.
Woods won more head-to-head meetings at 18-15-4.
Their victories this year have given them needed momentum into the head-to-head matchup, but both are on the back end of their careers.
with Yahoo Sports