Capital One's 'The Match 8': Storylines for Mahomes, Kelce vs. Steph, Klay
This Thursday, Capital One's "The Match" returns for its eighth edition.
Unlike The Match 7, which pitted pro golfers Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, this year's edition returns to the formula of star athletes who aren't tour pros.
The 2023 iteration will have an NFL-versus-NBA flavor too, as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs take on Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.
As is always the case, The Match is a made-for-television event that will also benefit a good cause. Fans should get an up-close look at the players and their interactions as the four champions help raise money for the No Kid Hungry campaign.
While Mahomes, Kelce, Curry and Thompson aren't pro golfers, they're all avid fans of the sport and should provide some quality play throughout the 12-hole competition.
Below, we'll dive into few storylines that should make The Match 8 a worthy watch.
The Match 8
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Who: Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce vs. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson
When: Thursday, June 29
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas
Format: 12-Hole Scramble
TV: TNT, truTV & HLN
Which Championship Duo Comes out on Top?
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One fun aspect of The Match 8 is that all four competitors are used to playing at the pinnacle of their respective sports.
Mahomes and Kelce are reigning Super Bowl champions with the Kansas City Chiefs and have won two NFL titles together. Curry and Thompson, meanwhile, have four NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors on their resumes.
These are two squads of teammates and friends who know one another well.
The chemistry of the pairs could come into play at the Wynn Golf Club since this is a scramble format. For those unfamiliar, scramble is a golf variant in which a team picks the best lie after each shot and each player takes their next swing from the same position.
Since Curry and Thompson know each other's strengths on the course, they should know which spots are most beneficial for both players. The same is true for Mahomes and Kelce.
And since these are high-level competitors who are used to winning, fans should expect a good amount of banter—and perhaps a little friendly trash-talking—from both the players themselves and commentators such as Charles Barkley, Draymond Green and Von Miller.
"It'll be cool to have two different sports go up against each other," Mahomes said, per ESPN's Adam Teicher. "I know them both pretty well so we can kind of talk some trash and do that type of stuff. And then anytime you combine Vegas and Travis is going to be a good time so I'm sure it'll be some good TV."
The competition should also be fierce. These are proven winners, but only one duo can claim victory on Thursday.
How Will the Newcomers Fare?
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For Mahomes and Curry, this will mark a second appearance in The Match—and both are looking for their first victories.
Curry and Peyton Manning fell to Phil Mickelson and Barkley in The Match III, while Mahomes and Josh Allen lost to Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers in The Match VI.
This will be an entirely new experience for Kelce and Thompson, though. While neither is a stranger to the golf course—Kelce competed in last year's American Century Championship—playing two-on-two while on the mic and constantly on camera makes for a unique atmosphere.
Of the two newcomers, the Chiefs star may have the advantage. He's played a little more competitively, and he has the cleaner swing, according to PGA Tour pro Collin Morikawa.
Morikawa recently rated the four competitors' swings in a video for Golf Digest, and he ranked Thompson last while being most impressed with Kelce.
"You've got the best takeaway, you've got the best transition on the way down," he said. "I don't know how you actually play golf, but it looks pretty."
Mahomes believes Kelce will adjust to the unique environment of The Match.
"I think whenever we get out there he'll respond and we'll have a good chance, as good of a chance as they do to win that thing," he said, per Teicher.
Of course, having the better team might not be enough to carry Mahomes and Kelce to victory.
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Will Steph Curry Dominate the Competition?
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Since this is a scramble game, in which teams utilize a combined score, there exists the potential for one golfer to carry his team and dominate the competition.
Thompson may or may not be the least skilled golfer of the foursome, but all signs point to Curry being the best. He topped both Mahomes and Kelce at the 2022 American Century Tournament—finishing tied for 16th, while Mahomes and Kelce finished tied for 51st and 64th, respectively—and is a borderline scratch golfer.
"Currently it's +1, but the jury is out if I'm actually playing up to that. I had a really good summer though." Curry said of his handicap in January, per Brady Langmann of Esquire.
While Curry might not be quite good enough to join the PGA Tour, his history suggests he's a notch or two above the rest of the four-man field. The question is whether the Warriors star can play well enough to dominate the team competition.
"Steph Curry is clearly the best golfer in the foursome but anything can happen in 12 holes," The Match producer Bryan Zuriff said, per Mike Dojc of Forbes.
Curry is, arguably, the best basketball shooter of his generation, and it'll be interesting to see if he drains enough shots to lift the Splash Brothers to another big-time win in The Match.
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