The Match 7 Odds, Picks, Predictions: Best Value Bets as Woods/McIlroy Take on Spieth/Thomas
Four of the biggest stars of the modern golf era take center stage in an exhibition match in Belleair, Florida Saturday. Read on as we look at all the details and offer up our top picks for The Match 7, featuring Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, and Justin Thomas.
This week's main attraction, Tiger, was forced to withdraw from his own Hero World Challenge last week due to plantar fasciitis. With the aid of a golf cart, he returns to action this week for his first televised event since The Open Championship.
Woods will be paired up with good friend and current World No. 1, McIlroy. The two will take on Spieth and Thomas in a 12-hole made-for-TV event at Pelican Golf Club outside of Tampa, Fla.
Check out our top picks for The Match 7 below (odd via DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
The Match 7 Info
When: Saturday, Dec. 10, 6 p.m. ET
Where: Pelican Golf Club, Belleair, FL
How to watch: TNT
Format: 12-hole, modified match play
The Match 7 Odds
Team | DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars |
Woods/McIlroy | +105 | +100 | +100 | +110 |
Spieth/Thomas | -125 | -125 | -125 | -130 |
The Match 7 Picks
Who Will Win The Match 7?
Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas (-125)
We're going to go ahead and back the favorites. Caesars Sportsbook has Spieth and Thomas juiced to -130 to win, while each of our other three top-rated sportsbooks has the pair at -125.
Not only are health questions abound for Tiger, but Spieth and Thomas' friendship dating back to youth golf has commonly been cited on weekend PGA Tour telecasts. The two Ryder Cup veterans will be familiar with the basis of this exhibition format. While Tiger and Rory have played (and starred) in more than their fair share of the international competition, they've represented opposing sides and Tiger hasn't participated in the Ryder Cup since 2018.
Who'll Have The Longest Tee Shot (Hole 7)?
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods (-110)
Unlike other exhibition 'All-Star' formats in team sports, there'll be plenty of motivation on the course between these four on Saturday. As we've seen in other iterations of The Match, whether including Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady, and/or Peyton Manning, there are additional financial incentives among the competitors.
With this in mind, we'll back the pair of McIlroy and Woods, and specifically McIlroy, to hit the longest tee shot on the designated long-drive hole, and to keep it in the fairway. The reigning FedEx Cup champion leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained: off-the-tee through just four measured rounds on the 2022-23 season, but he also ranked third over 60 rounds last season.
Who'll Lead First?
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods (-110)
This is the first spot where we're going to back McIlroy and Woods as underdogs. Spieth and Thomas are favored at -120 in this market, but we'll expect Tiger to be at his best early on and back him until any lingering foot pain potentially flares up.
Kudos to DraftKings for being the first major book to post prop odds on Wednesday.
Where to Bet on The Match 7
Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:
Picks made 12/7/2022 at 1 p.m. ET