The Match: Player handicaps, start time, what you need to know

It’s a battle of the ballers — footballers and basketballers, that’s — within the newest version of The Matchnow in its eighth iterationwhich is about to tee off on Thursday.

Two-time NFL Tremendous Bowl champs Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will tackle four-time NBA champions Steph Curry and Klay Thompson at Las Vegas’ lavish Wynn Golf Club. The motion begins at 6:30 p.m. ET.

You will discover every part it’s essential to find out about The Match VIII beneath.

Who’s taking part in in The Match, and what are their handicaps?

There are 4 rivals taking part in on this model of The Match. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are teammates who will play in opposition to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

Curry has the bottom reported handicap of the group, at +1 — that’s higher than scratch! Thompson is reportedly a 15.

Kelce boasts a handicap of 11, whereas Mahomes is a 7.7.

There’s no query that Curry — who has competed on the Korn Ferry Tour with a sponsor’s exemption — is clearly the strongest participant of the group.

Have any of the gamers competed in The Match earlier than?

Not solely does Curry boast probably the most spectacular golf chops of this yr’s Match rivals, he’s additionally performed in a Match earlier than.

Curry teamed up with Peyton Manning in 2020. The pair was defeated by Phil Mickelson and Charles Barkley.

Mahomes can also be making his second look, after teaming up with Josh Allen in 2022. The duo misplaced to Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.

Kelce and Thompson are making their Match debuts.

What time does The Match begin, and the way can I watch it?

The Match begins at 6:30 p.m. ET and can be broadcast on TNT, truTV, and HLN.

You can too stream The Match protection on Sling TV.

The place is The Match being performed?

This iteration of The Match is being performed at Wynn Golf Membership in Las Vegas, Nev.

What’s The Match format?

Workforce Curry-Thompson and Workforce Mahomes-Kelce will play 12 holes in a scramble format. That signifies that every participant hits a shot, and every crew can choose the most effective shot of the 2 and play on from that spot, the place they are going to repeat the method till the ball is holed. The bottom crew rating wins the opening, and the crew that wins probably the most holes wins the match.

Along with the match play factor, there can even be particular “problem holes” up for grabs: holes 4, 6, 8 and 12. If any participant could make a hole-in-one on these holes, $2 million can be donated to charity within the crew’s identify. If the hole-in-one occurs to be on No. 12, that quantity will get bumped to $5 million.

If there aren’t any holes-in-one, groups can nonetheless earn charity cash by getting inside 5 toes of the opening off the tee. That’s price $250,000. If that doesn’t occur for both crew, $100,000 can be donated for the crew that finally ends up closest to the opening.

What are The Match odds?

Curry and Thompson are -230, whereas Kelce and Mahomes are +195.

Who’s on the commentary crew?

Charles Barkley and Trevor Immelman can be again as analysts, as will Kathryn Tappen because the on-course reporter. Ernie Johnson will host for the third time, whereas Von Miller and Draymond Inexperienced will be part of the crew as cart commentators.

How a lot cash is up for grabs?

Whereas there isn’t a official purse in The Match, there’s loads of cash at stake on the problem holes, which is donated to charity. This yr’s designated charity is No Child Hungry, which goals to finish childhood starvation in the USA.

Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of feminine varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everybody on the masthead. She will out-hustle them within the workplace, too, the place she’s primarily answerable for producing each print and on-line options, and overseeing main particular tasks, similar to GOLF’s inaugural Fashion Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview sequence, “A Spherical With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in each within the journal and in video kind on GOLF.com.