U.S. epitomized team spirit in Presidents Cup win

After flirting once again with a 59, Phil Mickelson settled Thursday for another portion of the PGA TOUR record book, as he became the first golfer to record three rounds of 60 or better in TOUR history (ShotLink Era). Mickelson shot a 12-under 60 in the opening round of the Desert Classic, as he torched La Quinta Country Club with 10 birdies and an eagle. He rolled in a birdie putt inside 10 feet on the par-4 18th to record his 60. Mickelson’s two previous 60s both came at the Waste Management Phoenix Open – in 2005 and 2013. Unlike those two 60s, the Thursday round at La Quinta was on a par-72 course. The 12 under total is Mickelson’s lowest round in relation to par in his World Golf Hall of Fame career. The only other TOUR players to shoot multiple rounds of 60 or better are Jim Furyk (who owns the TOUR record of 58, along with one of the nine rounds of 59 in TOUR history) and Zach Johnson (who has shot two rounds in the 60s). Mickelson’s round Thursday is the 37th time in TOUR history that a player has shot 60. He made the turn in 30 and promptly ripped off five birdies in his next seven holes. Needing to go birdie-birdie on his final two holes to shoot 59, he came up just short, making par on the par-4 17th before his birdie on the final hole. He walked off the 18th green with a four-shot lead over Curtis Luck, with several groups still in action at the Desert Classic, which uses three courses in the first three days. “It was kind of a lucky day for me in the sense that I did not feel sharp heading in,� Mickelson said. “I haven’t really had the intense practice sessions that I would like, but I felt that all parts were OK and it just clicked. Sometimes you have days where it just clicks. Bad shots that I hit, I got away with it … It was a fun day, but I certainly did not expect this to be the case.� With no expectations of shooting low, Mickelson said he was just staying more in the present “for the simple reason that I didn’t feel like I was firing on all cylinders.� But he did acknowledge that before making his 4-footer at the 16th for birdie, he realized that 59 was in reach. Using a sand wedge on his approach into 17, Mickelson said he didn’t hook it as much as he wanted, leaving him a much longer putt than he would’ve liked. Mickelson nearly shot 59 at the 2013 Waste Management, but a brutal lip-out on the final hole ended his chances. He was vying to become the 11th player in PGA TOUR history to shoot a sub-60 score in tournament competition. The last player to shoot 59 was Brandt Snedeker at the 2018 Wyndham Championship. The only 58 in PGA TOUR history was by Jim Furyk at the 2016 Travelers Championship.

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• $10 million charitable donation made to COVID-19 relief; Additional fundraising to include on-course challenges and partnership with ALL IN Challenge • Showdown of legendary Woods/Manning & Mickelson/Brady pairings; Simulcast across TNT, TBS, truTV & HLN • The Match: Champions for Charity to be hosted at prestigious Medalist Golf Club in Florida Turner Sports will present The Match: Champions for Charity, a blockbuster live golf competition headlined by golf icons Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson returning for a rematch, this time joined by Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, two of the NFL’s greatest players of all time. The premier sports event – simulcast exclusively on TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN – will be held Sunday, May 24, at 2 p.m. ET, with pre-match coverage available in the Bleacher Report app. Associated with the live telecast, WarnerMedia and the golfers will collectively make a charitable donation of $10 million to benefit COVID-19 relief. As part of the fundraising efforts, the competition will also include a partnership with the ALL IN Challenge, along with additional on-course competitive challenges for charity. Fundraising associated with The Match: Champions for Charity will support national and local beneficiaries, aiming to help make an impact on many of the communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations will be made to organizations working across multiple areas of need including DirectRelief.org, which equips health workers on the front lines with life-changing medical supplies; the American Red Cross, which is investing in blood treatment options and providing regional support to communities; Save Small Business, a grant-making initiative to help small business employers who are struggling due to the pandemic; and the ALL IN Challenge, an initiative that aims to eliminate food insecurity by providing food to those in need. In partnership with the ALL IN Challenge, all four participants will have donated custom experiences that will raise millions towards the cause, with viewers having the ability to enter into a live raffle for ones featuring Woods and Mickelson during the telecast as well. “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unimaginable tragedy and heartbreak,� said Jeff Zucker, Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports. “We’re hopeful this event and platform will help raise meaningful funding for COVID-19 relief, while also providing a source of brief distraction and entertainment for all sports fans.� The Match: Champions for Charity, a sanctioned PGA TOUR event, will be held at the prestigious Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida. Opened in 1995, the renowned course acts as the home course to many PGA TOUR players including Tiger Woods. In preparation for the event, tournament organizers are working with state and local government and public health officials on competition and production logistics to ensure the event follows safety and health protocols. The competition will feature Woods and Manning vs. Mickelson and Brady, facing off in Team Match Play with a Four-Ball (Best Ball) format on the front nine and a Modified Alternate Shot format on the back nine, where each participant will tee off and then the team will play alternate shot from the selected drive. The unique combination of formats is aimed to provide an entertaining mix of strategy, team collaboration and consequence to nearly every shot. As part of the competitive play, there will also be a set of on-course challenges to raise additional charitable funds. Live coverage airing on TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN will feature unprecedented access with all players having open mics throughout the entire competition, including the capability to communicate directly with other golfers and the broadcast commentators. More information on the live production, including the commentator team, will be announced leading up to the event. In addition to live televised coverage, social and digital content prior to the event will be available through Bleacher Report and House of Highlights. The media agreement with WarnerMedia and Turner Sports was completed in partnership between Excel Sports Management and Lagardère Sports. Excel, which represents both Woods and Manning, and Lagardère Sports, which represents Mickelson, are also the tournament organizers.

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