Rory McIlroy for MVP, plus 9 different issues we discovered from The Showdown

The lengthy awaited PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf battle — that neither tour was immediately related to! — lastly arrived Tuesday night time in Vegas. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler took on Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka at Shadow Creek in a match billed as The Showdown. And over the course of 4 hours, golf followers noticed one thing they’ve grown accustomed to not seeing. It was LIV’s greatest in opposition to the PGA Tour’s greatest in a non-major setting. It was underneath the lights and with golfers mic’d up. It had to reside as much as the hype, proper?

Kind of.

Listed below are 10 observations we took away from Tuesday night time in Vegas.

1. This format labored! 

A lot has been fabricated from how troublesome it’s to maintain viewership curiosity throughout the whole thing of an 18-hole golf match. The Showdown discovered a option to do it, breaking 18 holes into three 6-hole matches, every with its personal format. The primary section was dedicated to fourball, the second a foursomes mini-match (alternate shot) and the ultimate six holes had been singles matches. Every of these matches was price one level, which meant that irrespective of the end result, there could be one thing to play for all the way in which to (not less than) the fifteenth gap.

Paradoxically, the match actually wasn’t shut — maintain scrolling for the end result — however in lots of ways in which’s an argument for its construction. A not-close match in this format was nonetheless intriguing for 4 hours. Was it entertaining all through? That’s a distinct story. However the end result wasn’t in hand till late.

2. The most effective shot of the day didn’t matter

It felt like a pivotal second when Bryson DeChambeau pured a drawing 8-iron from 213 yards on the par-5 4th gap. He shouted at it to draw and draw and draw — and it did, bounding on the entrance fringe of the inexperienced and rolling out to 4 toes. He and Brooks had been 2 down within the fourball session, they usually badly wanted it. 

Rory and Scottie had been each in need of the inexperienced about 40 toes away. If Bryson might make his eagle putt, the LIV squad could be again to 1 down and driving some momentum. Sadly for them, McIlroy hammered his putt via the perimeter, up the hill and into the jar, including a bit fist pump to go together with it. The traditional golf time period for this? A Mongolian Reversal, as we had been reminded at this 12 months’s Presidents Cup, which grew to become official when DeChambeau pulled his eagle putt left of the outlet. Immediately, the PGA Tour stars had received the opening session 3 and a pair of. 

3. That’s proper — Rory got here to play

From the first gap, it was clear that Rory had a few of his greatest stuff, and his opponents could have been a bit rusty. McIlroy tossed a dart into the first inexperienced and made birdie. He added one other birdie on the 2nd gap, pushing his group 2 up. He and Scheffler received the primary gap of alternate shot and maintained that lead till Brooks and Bryson lastly received their first gap of the day at 11 (their ninth gap).

“Welcome to the event,” Koepka stated sarcastically as they reached the twelfth tee. When he and Bryson three-putted the twelfth for bogey, it was as much as McIlroy to win the session. He did precisely that, easing his 4-footer into the middle of the cup. McIlroy stayed sizzling, birdieing the primary two holes of his singles match in opposition to Bryson, just about clinching the match at that time. The Showdown was formally over when Koepka’s birdie putt on the sixteenth gap missed. (Let the next screenshot function a visible for a way their night time went.)

4. Greg Norman was there. And that is precisely what he needed 

Greg Norman, the outgoing LIV Golf CEO, was posted up behind the first tee field when The Showdown started, even when this occasion was run with none involvement from LIV, nor from the PGA Tour. I couldn’t assist however assume {that a} player-driven match that doesn’t immediately profit any golf tour is exactly what Norman would have loved creating again within the Nineties when he kicked off his participant empowerment saga. 

5. Charles Barkley needs a professional golf merger ASAP

Barkley’s voice was as soon as once more the very best a part of a made-for-TV golf match, with rambling quips about something that caught his consideration. One such matter he raised a number of occasions was that he needs a merger between the 2 warring golf excursions — and he needs it accomplished yesterday. Barkley stated he thinks “some stuff is occurring within the background” that he disagrees with, leaving LIV golfers at a drawback. With out detailing precisely what he meant, Barkley made it clear he needs the very best gamers on each side enjoying collectively way more incessantly than we have now now. 

“I can say no matter I wish to,” Barkley stated, not pulling any punches. “I ain’t anxious about gettin’ fired.” 

However that’s the factor, Chuck. Most of us are nodding together with you.

6. Mic’d up golf remains to be glitchy 

Made-for-television matches are sophisticated, largely due to the precedent now set for gamers to be mic’d up always. The audio feed from the printed could be despatched on command to the AirPods worn by gamers, however is commonly saved on mute so gamers can focus correctly. 

This technique is usually all good, as long as it really works once you ask it to. The primary time Brian Anderson tried to speak with Scheffler and McIlroy — as they walked off the first tee — neither participant might hear the broadcaster. It took minutes earlier than the microphone state of affairs was sorted, a reminder that these telecasts haven’t been perfected. DeChambeau even eliminated his AirPod on the again 9, for causes undisclosed, simply icing on the cake of a shaky audio expertise.

7. The desert is attractive. And likewise frigid

This match was initially set to be performed in September, however was pushed again to this week. This wouldn’t be a difficulty if the boys teed it up at midday, however they began at 4 p.m. native time. The solar set about half-hour after they teed off, providing an unimaginable sundown but in addition plummeting the temperature. By the gamers reached the again 9, the feels-like temp was round 50 levels. By the tip, it was the mid-40s.

DeChambeau rocked a parka from the first tee onward. Scheffler quickly added a fleece vest with a hood. The golf carts had been geared up with area heaters pushing heat air immediately at their passengers. They bought loads of use!

Because of this, Shadow Creek performed troublesome. The greens had been as agency as could be, sending pictures touchdown close to the outlet into tough lies past the inexperienced. Koepka and DeChambeau struggled to get a way of the inexperienced speeds all through. There’s a lesson in that, people. Agency golf is what we like!

8. We wanted extra CHATTER 

We’ve now witnessed almost a dozen made-for-TV matches since Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson kicked off the style in earnest again in 2018. If we have now discovered something within the final six years, it’s that the golf by itself isn’t all that entertaining. Reasonably, probably the most entertaining points come from the witticisms, insights and pure banter that comes from the very best golfers on the earth. We all know it exists as a result of we see all of it season lengthy in Tuesday afternoon cash video games.

And but, regardless of The Showdown being billed as a extra fierce competitors than matches of the previous, we barely obtained any banter among the many rivals. And as a result of occasional lag in microphone entry, we struggled to get insights in a well timed method. Three seasons of pent-up angst that has enveloped the game was there for the taking if these athletes would simply … chide one another a bit. CBS broadcaster Colt Knost chimed in on Twitter with a quite simple take: Loosen this factor up! Discuss some trash! Say … one thing.

10. Scottie doesn’t know crypto

Talking of sponsors, we spent a part of final week in digital press conferences with all 4 contributors. One query requested at every: what’s your involvement and/or understanding of cryptocurrency? Each Koepka and DeChambeau admitted to proudly owning holdings within the non-traditional foreign money, whereas Scheffler and McIlroy didn’t. Nicely, now they all do, as a result of the latter group ended up taking their share of $10 million price of cryptocurrency.

When requested afterward how that digital foreign money will match into his portfolio, Scheffler was as sincere as you’d count on.

“I don’t know a complete lot about crypto however that is good motivation to do a little analysis,” he stated with a chuckle. “Possibly ask a pair questions to determine what’s happening.” 

Little question! Congrats to Scottie and Rory. And to the PGA Tour … type of.