Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau are gearing up for The Showdown on Monday.
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For sports fans of a certain age and outlook, the glory days of exhibition golf are long gone. They peaked during Thanksgiving weekends in the 1980s, when Jack NicklausArnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Gary Player and other stars gathered for Game Skins. Perhaps it was the tenor of the times, seemingly so innocent in retrospect, but those TV confections felt like cases, performed in what was then a novel format, with a welcome mix of silliness and gravitas. Though the mood was mostly light, there was money — and some pride — on the line for the legends who could still get the ball. In the strongest moments, tensions flared.
But that was then.
When it comes to one-sided made-for-TV shows, it’s all been downhill since then, despite concerted efforts to stop the slide. In recent years, the game’s powers that be have tried all sorts of tricks: bringing out celebrities, changing formats, signing up clever announcers and more. Apart from a number of bright moments, (such as Tom Brady’s Hole from the freeway in the second replay and the Charles Barkley back-and-forth that followed), the result has been a mix of depressing nods, undone by – take your pick – poor play, painful jokes and underscoring paychecks the mercenary nature of all. As much as anything, sponsored meets have given off an air of desperation: an empty cry for accolades from a particular sport.
This is the bad news. Here’s the good news: Thanks to a number of factors, we’re getting to something that can finally fly. On Tuesdays at 6pm EST, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy will team up against Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau for 18 holes of match play at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. The action will be broadcast on TNT, TBS and TruTV, and aired on MAX in the United States, with highlights available on Bleacher Report.
No, it’s not a Skins game. But here are 7 reasons why this prime-time competition stands to be an improvement over what we’ve seen before.
1. PGA Tour vs. LIV Overlay
Since the split in men’s professional golf, fans and players alike have rightfully complained that the game’s best rarely get to mix it up. While “The Showdown” is no substitute for a major, it gives us the kind of clash we crave, with stars representing rival counties, in a contest that feels ripe with symbolic meaning. McIlroy and Scheffer, the two biggest names on the PGA Tour, against LIV A-listers DeChambeau and Koepka, who both won majors while flying the banner for the breakaway league. Call it a proxy battle in golf’s ongoing civil war.
2. Bryson/Rory subplot
The last time the two men played the weekend in the same event, they co-authored a tale of tragedy and triumph as McIlroy’s collapse at the US Open gave way to DeChambeau’s recent heroics. Great golfers have short memories, but there’s no way either player has forgotten that Sunday at Pinehurst. Even if it’s not mentioned in their mic chats, it’s sure to be on their minds during The Showdown. I bet you will think about it too.
3. Bryson/Brooks subplot
With their contrasting personalities and playing styles, DeChambeau and Koepka make an odd couple. And, in fact, they were once at loggerheads, in a mutual disagreement that spilled over into social media spitting and jokes from fans. Although an attempt to capitalize on their bad blood failed when the two went head-to-head on a version of The Match, that’s all behind them now. Brooks and Bryson are now buds. Or at least allies in a common goal. As Hollywood proved with Batman vs Superman, it’s good for the box office when enemies become friends.
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4. Two words: Scottie Scheffler
Of course, each of the four stars in this marquee is capable of burning up any course they play. But none of the others have played golf like Scheffler, still riding the high of a historic season, fresh off a win in his most recent start. The soft-spoken World No. 1 can make another statement with his sticks by turning Showdown into The Scottie Scheffler Show. And if not, the footwork alone is worth watching.
5. Ryder Cup Format
Part of what makes the Ryder Cup so compelling is the changing dynamic as the format switches between best ball and alternate stroke before transitioning to individual play. In a smart decision, the Showdown will follow that template in miniature, with six holes each of the four-ball, foursome and singles matches. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that those single couples have yet to be revealed.
6. Place of development
Whenever green fees have a comma in them (in this case, $1250!), boasting is more than most of us can handle. But Shadow Creek is a sight to behold, a waterfall-laden Tom Fazio design that doubles as a feat of engineering. And this is a chance to see it for free.
7. The broadcast team
PGA Tour faithful who miss the likes of Bryson and Brooks week in and week out may also want to have the hot tendencies of David Feherty, the popular commentator who jumped on the LIV. Feherty is back for the event, on a broadcast team that represents both sides of the game’s divide (the voices of Ernie Johnson and Trevor Immelman will sound familiar to those who follow PGA Tour coverage). As a curiosity factor, Bubba Watson will be on hand as a course reporter, and King Charles Barkley will also be in the booth. There may come a time when we get bored of the Round Mound of Rebound behind the mic, but that’s about as likely as him ever breaking the norm.
