Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson rematch could happen in Las Vegas

Las Vegas and Shadow Creek Golf Club is being considered to host Part 2 of “The Match,” a second event that would feature Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

A Review-Journal source with knowledge about the discussions for a second event said Dubai and Las Vegas are the locales being considered for the potential 2019 match. The source, who provided details leading up to the first match, was not authorized to speak on the record.

The first pay-per-view match was held Nov. 23 at Shadow Creek and concluded under the lights when Mickelson defeated Woods on the fourth extra hole to win $9 million. An additional $800,000 was raised for charity, according to the event organizers.

The format of “The Match 2” likely would feature Mickelson and Woods paired together against a team of younger players, possibly Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. If it is held in Las Vegas, the source said it will be at Shadow Creek and most likely around Thanksgiving.

It is unclear if this event also would be pay-per-view or if tickets would be sold, which didn’t happen for “The Match.”

Earlier this week, Golf Digest reported that a source confirmed that a deal already had been signed for a match in 2019 and another in 2020, and would feature a team scenario of Mickelson and Woods either playing together or playing with a partner against each other.

However, ESPN later cited Mark Steinberg, Woods’ agent, as saying that nothing was official and the Golf Digest report was “not true.”

“We — and that’s a very big we when I say the Woods camp, the Mickelson camp, the Turner camp — have a lot to talk about,” Steinberg told ESPN. “We don’t have any specifics on what it might look like, whether it’s Tiger-Phil, two others, four others.”

Another Review-Journal source confirmed Steinberg’s comments as accurate, but said initial discussions already have taken place about future events.

Reported pay-per-view purchases for the first match were 1 million, but a technical glitch during the telecast forced WarnerMedia and all other providers to refund the $19.95 purchase price to viewers. Many who purchased it were unable to access the broadcast. The result was that show producers gave free access to everyone.

“This was a lot of fun in addition to a lot of pressure,” Mickelson said moments after the first match and in regards to if the two would do it again. “I guess it will depend on if people enjoyed it and want more, but I don’t know what that is right now. I just know that today was a really special, fun day.”

Golf writer Brian Hurlburt can be reached at bhurlburt5@gmail.com. Follow on Twitter at @LVGolfInsider.