Account
McIlroy, Johnson vs. Fowler, Wolff Odds, TV Schedule for COVID-19 Charity Match
May 16, 2020
The TaylorMade Driving Relief event featuring Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida, will tee off on Sunday.
TaylorMade Golf @TaylorMadeGolfThe stage is set. Now let’s help them put on a show. Help raise money for a great cause & celebrate the return of live golf by donating to TaylorMade #DrivingRelief. All proceeds will benefit organizations leading the COVID-19 relief efforts. Donate now: https://t.co/lMLLMuGrHp https://t.co/wDVWJVDqTJ
The skins game, which means each hole will have its own prize money attached, is worth upwards of $4 million that will go toward COVID-19 relief efforts:
CBS Sports' Kyle Porter explained the format in detail:
"The teams will start with $500,000 each—McIlroy and Johnson are playing for the American Nurses Foundation, while Fowler and Wolff are playing the CDC Foundation—and the first six holes will be worth $50,000 each. The next 10 holes will be worth $100,000 each. The 17th will be worth $200,000, and the 18th will be worth $500,000."
Additional bonus money will be awarded for low scores, with players earning an extra $25,000 per birdie, $50,000 per eagle and $150,000 per hole-in-one or double eagle," Golf Channel's Will Gray added. "All putts for birdies or better must be holed and won't subject to concession, even if the putt doesn't affect the team score."
The PGA Tour explained COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed, including social distancing and the removal of all rakes from the course.
McIlroy is excited for the challenge:
Odds
McIlroy and Johnson (-190, bet $100 to win $52.63)
Fowler and Wolff (+170, bet $100 to win $170)
Most Money Won, per Caesars Palace
TV Schedule
The live broadcast on Sunday will be from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET on NBC, NBC Sports and Golf Channel.
It isn't surprising that McIlroy and Johnson are favorites. McIlroy is the top-ranked golfer in the world, while Johnson is slotted at No. 5. Fowler and Wolff are ranked 27th and 110th, respectively.
Fowler is relishing the underdog role, though:
McIlroy is the reigning FedEx Cup, TOUR Championship and PLAYERS Championship winner. The 31-year-old competed in six PGA Tour events before this season was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic in March.
Fowler and Johnson are also proven on the PGA Tour with 25 combined PGA Tour victories, but Wolff is new on the circuit. The 21-year-old has played just 18 events since turning pro last year, and his lone top-10 finish came when he captured the 2019 3M Open.
The PGA Tour is scheduled to resume its adjusted 2019-20 schedule with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, from June 11 through June 14.