The 2024 edition of The Match features a first-time wrinkle to the event — PGA vs. LPGA.
The Match IX is set to take place Sunday in West Palm Beach as four golfers are competing to raise money for charity. This year's tournament marks the ninth version of the made-for-TV golf competition.
Rory McIlroy and Max Homa are set to go head-to-head against Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang of the LPGA. It's the first time that the showcase features women participating in the friendly.
LIVE: Follow The Match updates and results
McIlroy and Homa are currently the No. 2 and No. 7 golfers on the PGA Tour, respectively. McIlroy is a four-time major champion with a total of 38 wins in his decorated golf career. Homa still has his eyes on his first major but has four PGA wins on his resume.
Thompson is an 11-time winner on the LPGA Tour. She became just the seventh woman ever to compete on the PGA Tour when she played at the Shriner Children's Open last October. Zhang burst onto the pro scene last summer as a rookie, winning her first LPGA event in her professional showing at the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open. Before joining the LPGA, the 20-year-old was a back-to-back NCAA national champion at Stanford.
Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 version of The Match:
MORE: How much money will The Match winner earn?
The Match date 2024
- Date: Monday, Feb. 26
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
The Match IX is set to tee off on Monday, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. ET in West Palm Beach, Florida.
How to watch The Match 2024
- TV channels: TNT, truTV, HLN
- Live stream: Sling TV, Max
Fans will be able to catch The Match on TNT, with the event being simulcast on sister stations truTV and HLN.
For viewers who want to live stream The Match, Max and Sling TV carry TNT, as well as truTV and HLN, so viewers can sign up for either of the streaming services to watch live.
Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley will serve as commentators for the event. They will also be joined by Kathryn Tappen, 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman, three-time LPGA champion Christina Kim, DJ Khaled and NHL analyst Paul Bissonnette.
Where is The Match in 2024?
- Location: West Palm Beach, Fla.
- Venue: Park Municipal Golf Course
The Park Municipal Golf Course hosts The Match for the first time. While the event has previously taken place in Florida twice, it has never been held in West Palm Beach.
Previously, the state hosted the second Match event, which came in 2020 with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. That competition was played at medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound. Then in 2022, The Match VII between Woods, McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth was played at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair.
The Match format 2024
This year, The Match is going away from its typical scramble style of play. Instead, the two teams are going to be playing a mixed skins format.
In golf, the game of skins is when you assign a dollar or point amount to a hole. The winner of the event is not who shoots the lowest total score, but who can win the most holes. Whoever has the best score on one particular hole is considered to win "the skin."
In the case of The Match, there is a monetary value assigned to each hole in the competition. Whoever wins that hole gets that specified cash to give to charity.
The Match purse, prize money in 2024
There isn't a traditional purse for The Match, but the players are all competing to raise money for charity. This year's charity is the youth organization First Tee.
The Match has raised over $38 million for charity since its first iteration, according to a press release.
The Match previous winners
There have been eight prior Match events, with six of them featuring pro golfers or a mix of pro-am pairings. This year's event is a return to featuring solely golf professionals after the 2023 edition had all non-golfers competing.
Here's how the results have gone in years prior:
| Date | Event | Winner | Loser |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 23, 2018 | "The Match: Tiger vs. Phil" | Phil Mickelson | Tiger Woods |
| May 24, 2020 | "The Match: Champions for Charity" | Tiger Woods-Peyton Manning | Phil Mickelson-Tom Brady |
| Nov. 27, 2020 | "The Match: Champions for Change" | Phil Mickelson-Charles Barkley | Peyton Manning-Stephen Curry |
| July 6, 2021 | "The Match IV" | Bryson DeChambeau-Aaron Rodgers | Phil Mickelson-Tom Brady |
| Nov. 26, 2021 | "The Match: Bryson vs. Brooks" | Brooks Koepka | Bryson DeChambeau |
| June 1, 2022 | Brady/Rodgers vs. Allen/Mahomes | Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers | Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes |
| Dec. 10, 2022 | "The Match VII" | Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas | Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods |
| June 29, 2023 | "The Match VIII" | Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce | Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson |