Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will go toe to toe with the LIV Golf rivals they have denounced in an encounter that has been more than two years in the making.
In the first match between PGA Tour and LIV golfers since an unquestionably acrimonious split during 2022, ‘The Showdown’ offers a massive opportunity to secure the bragging rights for months and years to come.
It’s only fitting then that the most extravagant match-up in golf takes place at Shadow Creek Golf Club, the most expensive venue in the USA.
The Las Vegas club cost an estimated £47million ($60million) to build back in 1989 and, now owned by MGM Resorts, it offers the ideal backdrop for those with deep pockets to enjoy a round of golf.
The Nevada base will host the unofficial exhibition between golf’s biggest stars, with McIlroy and Scheffler on the PGA Tour side and Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka donning the LIV logo.
Shadow Creek boasts 7,560 yards full of pristine greenery on the runaway for its par-72 course. With a backdrop of mountains and fresh-flowing creeks, it paints the perfect setting for a high-octane clash.
The fairways are in impeccable condition and the players will no doubt enjoy the smooth putting surfaces. But the real selling point is the par-3 17th hole, which requires players to execute a shot over a batch of water onto a green overshadowed by bunkers.
The venue has been approved despite having the most expensive public tee time in the entire USA at £983 ($1,250). For that price, though, even amateur golfers can expect the star treatment professionals enjoy.
Unlike other clubs around the world, the hefty fee includes a private limo ride to the golf course, your own personal caddie and a locker to store your belongings.
The popularity of the venue means that even the richer golfers may be out of luck in trying to book a tee time. Fortunately, that’s never an issue when you’re one of the best golfers in the world.
The likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, among others, have enjoyed strolling through the remarkable surroundings that aren’t exactly typical of its Texan environment.
Woods and Mickelson famously competed in a similar version to The Match in 2018, which concluded in a playoff after the American pair finished all square following a close 18-hole contest.
There’s certainly no love lost between the two entities, with McIlroy focusing on how the event can bring more fans into the world of golf.
“This isn’t just a contest between some of golf’s major champions, it’s an event designed to energise the fans,” McIlroy said.
But Koepka sees it as a chance to silence their PGA rivals and prove a point after their defection to the Saudi breakaway league in 2022: “We want to beat them, we want to showcase the world we’re the top two dogs,” Koepka said.
With stronger tests to come at the Masters in January and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am the month after, McIlroy and Scheffler will be hoping to get some momentum by landing a statement victory.
