The Thanksgiving golf schedule is a bit different this year due to COVID-19 but there is still some action on the links and with sportsbooks. The golf event known as “the Match” returns this Turkey Day weekend. And, the Alfred Dunhill Championship is set to tee off for European PGA members.
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The Match: Champions for Change
Version three is officially titled “The Match: Champions of Change” and it has garnished added attention this year. This could be due to the player selection or the date change to a slower sports weekend. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have made this a golf junkie event.
Manning and Tiger Woods beat Mickelson and Tom Brady last year. That event raised over 20- million for COVID-19 relief efforts. The Match 3 benefits Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
For The Match 3 – Manning is paired with NBA Legend Steph Curry. Phil Mickelson, back once again for the tournament, will be teamed with Charles Barkley instead of Tom Brady.
Aside from the humor that is expected from Barkley, known around the sports world for his horrible swings, there should be some good golf worth watching.
Both Manning and Curry are great on the links, maybe not pro PGA quality – but much better than one would expect. Manning carries a 4.8 USGA Handicap.
As for Curry, the NBA legend can hold his own on the course. He has played in Korn Ferry Tour tournaments in the past while being rated as a 0 handicap (scratch) to 0.6 handicap golfer. Here’s how oddsmakers see things playing out according to Intertops.
The Match: Champions for Change Odds
Peyton Manning and Steph Curry -172
Phil Mickelson and Charles Barkley +135
Where: Oro Valley, Arizona
Course: Stone Canyon Golf Club
When: Friday, November 27, 2020
Coverage: TNT – 1:00 PM ET
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For me, I’m leaning towards Manning and Curry. The combination of Manning’s handicap and Curry’s scratch play and professional tournament settings makes them a strong favorite. I love Charles Barkley, but can Phil carry the load – yes. But can he concentrate while Barkley takes the stage with his humor during an entire round of golf?
2020 Alfred Dunhill Championship Preview
The Alfred Dunhill Championship has become a tightly played event over the years. Since 2006, the event has been won by two strokes or less eight times. Ernie Els won by three strokes in 2005 and almost repeated in 2007 when he finished one stroke behind John Bickerton.
Two big past winners won’t be in the field this year. American David Lipsky won the tournament during the 2018/2019 season becoming the only American winner since the original tournament was held in 2000. Charl Schwartzel, a known name on both the PGA and European PGA Tours has won the tournament a record four times and finished second an additional four times.
Where: Malalane, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Course: Leopard Creek Country Club
Par: 72
Length: 7,287
When: November 19 –22, 2020
Purse: $ 1,782 million
Coverage: Golf Channel/Skysports
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Leopard Creek Country Club is located in Malalane, South Africa, straddles the Crocodile River, and was designed by Gary Player. The course is privately owned and renowned for its rolling hills and scenic views and hazards.
The course is stunning visually due to design and natural landscaping as well as its hazards! Yes – hazards – which are in this case – not always sand and water!
Leopard Creek hazards can include crocodile, hippo, antelope, buffalo, wild boar, and a variety of fowl which are often seen.
The course uses the Player design style which comes across as being straightforward with a reliance on well-placed trees and bunkers to protect landing zones. But, it was redesigned following the 2016 tournament and now plays tighter.
The course has only one par five on the front nine but is loaded with three par-five holes on the back. There are ten par-four holes and four par-three holes on the course. Number 15 plays 590 yards for the longest link while the shortest is No. 5 at 163 yards.
Players will need a nice combination of woods and short irons to stay in the running for the final round. Greens are average-sized can run fast depending on weather conditions and watering.
Brandon Stone +1200
Brandon Stone has four top-20 finishes in his last five events. He won this tournament in 2016 and has played well at Leopard Creek. In his 2016 win, Stone went 21 under to beat Richard Sterne (+6600) by six strokes.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +1600
I’m not sure why the gap between Christiaan Bezuidenhout at +1600 and Stone at +1200. I guess it’s Stone’s play over the last several events. But Bezuidenhout can light his short game up which is perfect for Leopard Creek. If Bezuidenhout gets his wedges and approach shots dialed in he’ll be a factor at the end.
Johannes Veerman +4000
Texan Johannes Veerman left Texas A&M and turned heads by earning his Tour card in dramatic fashion. He jumped from 144th to 13th in the closing rounds. He’s been a bit inconsistent over the year but still has managed five top-ten finishes and eight top-25. This course could fit his Texas-style perfectly.
2020 Alfred Dunhill Championship Odds
This event combines players mostly from the European and Sunshine Tours.
Golf handicappers can bet on the Alfred Dunhill Championship at BetOnline (Click Link for Review).
Robert Macintyre +1200
Brandon Stone +1200
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +1600
Eddie Pepperell +1800
Wilco Nienaber +2000
George Coetzee +2500
Shaun Norris +2500
Joachim-B Hansen +2800
Joost Luiten +2800
Matthias Schwab +2800
Adrian Otaegui +2800
Matthew Jordan +3300
Laurie Canter +3300
Adri Arnaus +3300
Garrick Higgo +3300
Daniel Van Tonder +4000
Johannes Veerman +4000
Marcus Armitage +4000
Dean Burmester +4000
Gavin Green +4000
Jamie Donaldson +4000
Jorge Campillo +4000
Scott Jamieson +4000
Pablo Larrazabal +4000
Darren Fichardt +5000
Will Besseling +5000
Louis De Jager +5000
Richard Bland +5000
Shubhankar Sharma +5000
Zander Lombard +5000
Masahiro Kawamura +5000
Richard Sterne +6600
M-J Daffue +6600
Jacques Blaauw +6600
Bryce Easton +6600
Jayden Schaper +6600
Connor Syme +6600
Sean Crocker +8000
David Horsey +8000
Fabrizio Zanotti +8000
Calum Hill +8000
Steven Brown +8000
Jaco Ahlers +8000
Julian Suri +8000
Aaron Cockerill +8000
Adrien Saddier +10000
Alexander Levy +10000
Neil Schietekat +10000
Jonathan Caldwell +10000
Joel Stalter +10000
Ben Stow +12500
Matthieu Pavon +12500
Jaco Van Zyl +12500
Lucas Bjerregaard +12500
Julien Guerrier +12500
David Drysdale +12500
Joel Sjoholm +12500
Martin Rohwer +15000
Adrian Meronk +15000
JC Ritchie +15000
Keith Horne +15000
Justin Walters +15000
Adilson Da Silva +15000
Lorenzo Gagli +15000
Jack Senior +15000
Nicolai Hojgaard +15000
Dale Whitnell +15000
MJ Viljoen +15000
Nacho Elvira +15000
Darius Van Driel +15000
Oliver Farr +15000
Toby Tree +15000
Thriston Lawrence +20000
Jacques Kruyswijk +20000
Oliver Bekker +20000
Ross McGowan +20000
Alvaro Quiros +20000
Lars Van Meijel +20000
Oliver Wilson +20000
Steve Surry +20000
David Law +25000
Chris Wood +25000
Cormac Sharvin +25000
Scott Hend +25000
Oliver Fisher +25000
Hennie du Plessis +25000
Jbe Kruger +25000
Rhys Enoch +25000
Marcel Siem +25000
Richard McEvoy +30000
Garrick Porteous +30000
Robin Roussel +30000
Deon Germishuys +30000
Carlos Pigem +30000
Anton Haig +30000
Haydn Porteous +35000
Ricardo Santos +35000
Trevor Fisher Jr +35000
Hennie Otto +40000
