Capital One’s The Match 2024: Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Rose Zhang and Lexi Thompson lauds venue, the competition ahead of Monday event
Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Rose Zhang and Lexi Thompson are all scheduled to compete at Capital One's The Match in 2024. The entertainment golf tournament will take place on Monday, February 26 at The Park at West Palm Beach. The 18-hole golf course was designed by Gil Hanse, Jim Wagner and Dirk Ziff.
This is the first edition of the tournament to take place at The Park. Ahead of the start of the tournament, all four golfers shared their thoughts about the venue in a press conference on Thursday, February 22.
McIlroy, who lives in the area, said that the venue was frequently fille dwith kids. He said (via PGA Tour):
“I’ve been there a few times. If you go there at 6 p.m., that place is filled with kids – boys and girls."
McIlroy also spoke about the competition's unique mixed-field edition this year. He added:
"You’ve got the contrast between how Max and I see things from the men’s side and how Rose and Lexi see things from the women’s side. I think this edition of 'The Match' is going to be really interesting to see that contrast. … And doing this at a public facility goes back to that relatability for the fan at home.”
Max Homa also expressed his excitement about competing at the venue. He said (via PGA Tour):
“I grew up on a very public golf course, a rough-around-the-edges par-3 course, and I’ve always wanted these types of things to go to places like that.”
Additionally, Homa claimed that he was a great fan of The Match, which has featured other sports stars in its previous editions. Speaking about the entertainment series, Homa said:
“Whether they’re athletes in other sports or golfers, their guards are down a bit, they talk a bit more, they laugh a lot more. I’ve found it quite fun to see how the people playing are people and they hit bad shots and laugh it off, or hit great shots and gloat a bit, as a Sunday golfer would."
He added:
“As athletes we just want to leave the sport in a better place than when we first stepped out here,” said Lexi Thompson (via PGA Tour).
Unlike most golf tournaments which take place under sunlight, The Match is held at night. Rose Zhang opened up about playing in lights. She said (via Golf Week):
"It’d be nice to actually have the light this time around while playing at the same time. And yeah, it’s such a different experience. I’m interested in seeing how I play under the lights. I have no idea as of now but presents a huge element that I’m looking forward to.”
When will golfers tee off for The Match?
The 2024 edition of The Match will take place on Monday, February 26 under the lights. Golfers will tee off for the 12-hole mixed skins format tournament at 6:30 p.m. ET. The tournament will be live televised on TNT, HLN, and truTV.
The last edition of The Match was held in June 2023, when Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce played against Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Rory McIlroy had played in the tournament in 2022 when he teamed up with Tiger Woods to compete against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. However, the all-American duo emerged victorious in the competition.
Lexi Thompson, Rose Zhang and Max Homa will make their debut at the event this year.