Tiger vs Phil: The Match Odds & Preview

Two of the greatest golfers in history battle it out for a $9 million prize when Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson step onto the Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, NV on Friday. Woods has gone from -190 to -225. Will Tiger take it, or will Phil score enough birdies in the 18-hole event to grab the prize?

The Match:  Tiger vs Phil

Odds To Win

• Tiger Woods: -225
• Phil Mickelson: +175

Shadow Creek Golf Course Profile

A par 72, 7,560 yards course, Shadow Creek ranks in the Top 30 in best golf courses in the United States. It ranks in the Top 10 when it comes to the best public golf courses in the U.S.

What’s in Tiger Woods’ Favor?

Shadow Creeks layout should flatter Tiger’s game. He holds the course record, a 60, for the original layout. Although a couple of other golfers, Dustin Johnson and Liu Chien-Soon, hold the record for the updated layout, things could still fall in Tiger’s favor.

It’s most famous holes are the 15^th, 16^th, and 17^th. On the 15^th, while Tiger and Phil will hit back towards the mountains, a creek runs down the left side of the hole and across the green. The par 4, 483 yard 15^th should flatter Woods’ long game.

The 16^th is a par 5 where Woods can make up ground if he’s yielded a couple of strokes to Phil. Oh, yes, Tiger also won the Tour Champions in his last tournament played. He heads to Shadow Creek hot.

What’s in Phil Mickelson’s Favor?

The 18-hole tournament should favor Phil Mickelson’s penchant for playing his best golf in the first couple of rounds. Now 48-years-old, Mickelson must first work to make the cut before even thinking about winning tournaments.

Making the cut in tournaments means concentrating on round 1 because if he gets too far behind, no matter how Lefty plays in round 2, he won’t do well enough to play on Saturday and Sunday. The fact that this is just an 18-hole round of golf should work in Mickelson’s favor on Friday.

Tiger vs Phil Final Betting Analysis

Last week, Mickelson was checking out Shadow Creek and seeing where best to land his shots. He’s taking this very seriously. So is Tiger, but Woods’ odds are much too low in a match event that takes place over only 18-holes.

If this were a three-day or even two-day event, Tiger might have a bigger advantage over Phil. No doubt, Phil’s age would come into play. But, it’s not. Anything can happen on Friday because this is golf and past form can mean nothing if either golfer lets a bad shot or two get into their heads.

Mickelson can beat most any golfer on the planet, including Tiger, in an 18-hole event. He’s worth backing at the juicy price.

The Match Pick: Phil Mickelson