The greatest match that never was almost took place on July 3 in Las Vegas, a prime-time TV special that was to have pitted Tiger Woods against Phil Mickelson in a $10 million winner-take-all, 18-hole death match. The negotiations, involving a major television network and various corporate entities, couldn't quite be consummated in time but Woods and Mickelson and their people remain committed to making it happen as soon as it's feasible. "We're working on a different date," Mickelson said on Thursday. "I thought it was done for the 3rd but obviously it wasn't." Woods's representatives declined to comment.
An initial match in Las Vegas — Shadow Creek is the likely venue — is just the beginning of their shared vision. Mickelson says he and Woods hope to play a couple exhibitions a year, around the world. Sometimes they could partner up — depending on how the Ryder Cup goes, it's easy to envision Tiger and Phil taking on two top Europeans (a match with Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter as the opposition could be particularly juicy). Woods and Mickelson are both shrewd businessmen, and they are trying to set up this new venture so they essentially own the matches and thus will get a chunk of the TV revenue, merchandising, and sponsorship dough.
Tiger -150
Phil +120
Odds found in theSBR Sportsbook