Live golf is coming to a TV screen near you sooner than you think.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy, former U.S. Open winner Dustin Johnson, fan favorite Rickie Fowler and up-and-comer Matthew Wolff are scheduled to play in a televised $3 million charity skins match on Sunday, May 17, to support COVID-19 relief efforts.
“I’m pretty excited to do a small part to raise some money and raise some awareness in these challenging times,” said Rory McIlroy, who announced the exhibition on “The Today Show,” and confirmed that he will partner with Johnson against Team Fowler-Wolff, a pair of Oklahoma State products.
“TaylorMade Driving Relief,” which features four of the company’s biggest ambassadors, will be televised by NBC Sports and Sky Sports from 2-6 p.m. ET. Almost as big as the players themselves is the course: famed Seminole Golf Club, a Donald Ross layout in Juno Beach, Florida, which McIlroy tabbed “one of the most revered golf courses in the world.”
The event is supported by UnitedHeath Group, which has pledged a total of $3 million to the American Nurses Foundation and CDC Foundation, which are helping to lead COVID-19 relief efforts.
“I think golf can return to doing things like this,” McIlroy said. “We can keep ourselves socially distant, keep ourselves in different carts, and stay obviously more than 6 feet away from one another and that’s really important too, so, taking all the necessary precautions to put this match on.”
The PGA Tour has been on hiatus due to the global pandemic since the Players Championship was canceled after the first round on March 12. The PGA Tour is scheduled to resume at the Charles Schwab Challenge on June 8. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson also have announced plans for a televised charity golf event with football legends Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. A date for that match has yet to be confirmed.
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