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Rory McIlroy Wins The 9th Iteration Of The Match

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The ninth edition of Capital One’s The Match is in the books. And although it didn’t start in such an ideal way for Rory McIlroy, he was certainly pleased with the ending.

 (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for The Match)

McIlroy won The Match after a closest-to-the-pin shootout on the first extra hole, earning $1.9 million for charity in the skins-game format against multi-time PGA Tour winner Max Homa, 11-time LPGA Tour winner Lexi Thompson, and star-in-waiting Rose Zhang.

McIlroy started his day with a mishit drive that landed in an awkward spot on the first fairway. He lost his balance at first and, with a laugh, fell backwards into a bunker. McIlroy then hit a punch-shot approach that didn’t get further than either of Thompson or Zhang’s drives on the first hole.

From there it was pure domination, however.

Zhang and Homa were shut out, while Thompson’s lone skin triumph came on the driveable par-4 second hole. Thompson drained a long eagle putt from just off the green to win the skin there and earn $200,000 for charity.

https://twitter.com/PGATOUR/status/1762284086284992593

On the opening hole Homa walked in a birdie putt to tie the hole with Zhang which carried over the skin to the second hole, won by Thompson.

On the par-3 3rd, McIlroy hit his tee ball to just two feet and won the $100,000 closest-to-the-pin prize for charity.

“That’s one more birdie than I made in the previous match. Things are looking up,” McIlroy said. He and Tiger Woods were defeated 3-and-2 by Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in the seventh edition of The Match.

The fourth hole was a long par 4 and also the ‘One Club Challenge’ hole. McIlroy chose his 5-wood and ended up making a fairly routine par. He admitted afterwards he often putts with his 5-wood with his putting coach – and PGA Tour winner – Brad Faxon.

McIlroy lipped out for another birdie on No. 5 but added a birdie on the par-5 6th after knocking his greenside bunker shot to just a few feet. At that point McIlroy had earned $500,000 and it was off to the races.

On No. 7 McIlroy nearly drove the green on the 450-yard par 4. But, that hole was tied with birdies as Zhang made hers before McIlroy.

The 8th hole saw Homa win the $100,000 closest-to-the-pin competition, but Homa heartbreakingly lipped out his par putt from just a few feet and McIlroy won that hole with a par.

“If it makes you feel any better,” McIlroy said, “ I don’t feel very good about that.”

Nos. 9-11 were all carried over with pars, with Lexi Thompson winning the final $100,000 closest-to-the-pin challenge on the par-3 11th.

The final hole of The Match was the par-5 12th. It was worth $1.1 million before McIlroy announced he had “a friend” who was winning to donate another $500,000 to the charity for the final hole.

McIlroy made birdie before Homa rolled in a long one of his own to send The Match into the in a closest-to-the-hole challenge from the 12th fairway.

From 105 yards away McIlroy hit his 54-degree wedge to just 4 feet, 3 inches. That, he said, is usually his 120-yard club but he took a little off it to avoid it spinning off the green. Homa, Thompson, and Zhang couldn’t knock their approach shots any closer and the title was McIlroy’s.

The broadcast featured plenty of fun moments, most especially from Charles Barkley – his banter with Thompson was particularly priceless as she never went to college and Barkley dropped out, while Zhang is flying back to California tonight as she is in the midst of a full course load at Stanford. Former NHLer-turned-media-personality Paul Bissonnette appeared alongside music celebrity DJ Khaled as “cart” reporters.

 (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images for The Match)

Despite being shutout, Homa put the most appropriate bow on the evening – and the special venue that played host.

“This,” Homa said, “is what golf should be more like.”

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