7 courses we'd love to see Tiger and Phil pick for their $10 million match

The prospect of Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods playing a $10 million match has us salivating. Money-match Phil vs. a healthy Tiger? Uh yeah, OK, we're in. We don't know yet exactly when and where they are going to play so we took a crack at picking a few dream spots where this match should go down.

Shadow Creek - Las Vegas, Nevada

Why it should host: Tiger and Phil’s high-stakes match would be just another day at this hideaway north of the Las Vegas Strip. The conditioning and service at the course is elite. It’s also hosted many an event, including multiple Tiger Jams. 

Who it favors: Tiger shared the pre-renovation course record with Fred Couple, so he gets the nod. 

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The Old Course - St. Andrews, Scotland 

Why it should host: Hey, it’s the home of golf! Yeah, we know this is unlikely, but we can dream, right? Imagine the match starting at midday in the fall and the long shadows painting the 18th green as Tiger and Phil make their way across the Swilcan Bridge to a dramatic finish. Then they walk off 18 to grab a drink at the Dunvegan Hotel Lounge Bar, a wedge away from the last hole.

Who it favors: Tiger. He won the Open Championship twice: 2000 and 2005.

 

Winged Foot - Mamaroneck, New York

Why it should host: It’s the site of the first-ever professional round Tiger and Phil played together during the 1997 PGA Championship.

Who it favors: We have to go with Tiger, again. Winged Foot, you probably remember, is where Phil Mickelson should have won the U.S. Open before his meltdown on the 18th hole. Can you imagine the friendly trash-talk between those two when they get to the 18th tee?

 

Valhalla - Louisville, Kentucky

Why it should host: It’s where Jack Nicklaus passed the proverbial torch to Tiger Woods in the 2000 PGA Championship. It’s a Jack-designed course, too, which means there are plenty of callbacks to great tracks from the Golden Bear’s storied career that would intersect with Phil and Tiger’s history in majors.

Who it favors: Push, with a slight edge to Phil. You know he’d love another crack at winning something big at Valhalla:

 

Torrey Pines - San Diego, California

Why it should host: It’s kind of a home course for both guys, who grew up in Southern California. It’s a muni, too. Let’s have the starter send Phil and Tiger off around noon on the South Course and then the usual groups can fill up the tee times the rest of the afternoon.

Who it favors: Tiger, again. He’s won there eight (!) times as a pro including the 2008 U.S. Open.

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Pine Valley - Pine Valley, New Jersey

Why it should host: The private New Jersey club is always among the best, most difficult courses in the world. It would be a whole lot of fun to see what two guys with a combined 19 major championships would shoot there. A made-for-TV showdown would also expose millions of fans to this place. We all know it’s an incredible course and we’d love to see what these holes look like in high-definition. The closest thing we have now is this:

Who it favors: Phil. The East Coast fans love him even more than they love Tiger.

 

Cypress Point - Pebble Beach, California

Why it should host: It’s spectacular and has history on its side as host of the Match and the sequel to the Match. Like Pine Valley, this is one of the country’s greatest courses and one of the most difficult places to score a tee time. We want to watch Tiger and Phil hit shots to No. 15. 

Who it favors: Push. But the golf fan wins if they play here - or anywhere.