Out of the Woods: Tiger emerges for TV match with Lefty, QBs

purpose is to raise $10 million or more for COVID-19 relief efforts, and provide entertainment with four of biggest stars from PGA Tour and NFL.

Ar appeal to Sunday me-for-TV exhibition, “ Match: Champions for Charity,” is a chance to see Tiger Woods swing a golf club for first time in 98 days.

Live golf is on television for second straight Sunday, this one with game's biggest heliner.

Woods was last seen on television Feb. 16 at Genesis Invitational, where he moved cautiously in California's chilly late winter wear and posted weekend rounds of 76-77 to finish last among 68 players who me cut at Riviera.

He skipped a World Golf Championship in Mexico City, and said his surgically repaired back wasn't quite rey in sitting out opening three weeks of Florida swing. And n pandemic took over, and re has been place to play.

This is a reasonable start. Woods and retired NFL quarterback Peyton Manning will face Phil Mickelson and Tom Bry, who won six Super Bowls with New England Patriots and signed this year with Tampa Bay.

match will be at Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida It is Woods' home course and about 20 minutes from Semile, where last week Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Matw Wolff ushered golf's return to live television.

What to make of Woods?

His only interviews were with GolfTV, Discovery-owned channel with whom Woods has a financial deal, and a playful Zoom call with or match participants hosted by Ernie Johnson of Turner Sports, which is televising match.

He described his health in April 9 interview with GolfTV as “night and day.”

“I feel a lot better than I did n,” Woods said. “I've been able to turn a negative into a positive and been able to train a lot and get my body to where I think it should be.”

Mickelson has missed cut in four of his five tournaments this year — exception was third place at Pebble Beach, where he started final round one shot behind Nick Taylor and closed with a 75.

Just like last week, rust is to be expected for players who haven't competed in two months — three, in case of Woods.

Manning, meanwhile, is retired and is a golf junkie. Bry remains employed, and this week h some informal work in with his new teammates in Tampa Bay.

fans will be allowed, just like last week at Semile. One difference is players will be in ir own carts, whereas four PGA Tour players last week carried ir bags.

But this is as much about entertainment as competition.

It's second edition of a match between Woods and Mickelson, dominant players of ir generation and rivals by name, but t necessarily by record. Woods has 82 career victories to 44 for Mickelson, les 15-5 in major championships and 11-0 in winning PGA Tour player of year.

Mickelson won ir first me-for-TV match over Thanksgiving weekend in 2018, a pay-per-view event that ran into technical problems and was free for all. Lefty won in a playoff under lights for $9 million in a winner-take-all match.

He also has a 5-3-1 vant over Woods in nine times y have played in final round on PGA Tour, most recently in AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 2012 when Mickelson shot 64 to a 75 for Woods.

He also stopped two streaks. Woods was going for his seventh straight PGA Tour victory when Mickelson beat him at Torrey Pines in 2000. Later that year, Woods h won 19 consecutive times on PGA Tour when he h at least a share of 54-hole le until Mickelson beat him at Tour Championship.

Woods, however, captured streak that mattered, holding off Mickelson in final group at Masters in 2001 to hold all four professional majors at same time.

banter was lacking in Las Vegas, and perhaps having Manning and Bry will change dynamics. brocast includes Charles Barkley providing commentary and Justin Thomas, whom Woods has embraced, on course as a reporter in his television debut.

After this exhibition, golf has two weeks before PGA Tour is set to return at Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas. Mickelson plans to play. Woods has t said when he will return.