Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have enjoyed a longstanding rivalry, although that has died down in recent years given the split between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Mickelson was told he made a change on the PGA Tour following his switch to LIV Golf, having been among the first group of players to make the controversial move.
Woods disagreed with PGA Tour players joining LIV Golf, with his old rival Mickelson becoming arguably its highest-profile recruit back in 2022.
He had posted 45 PGA Tour wins before the defection to the Saudi-backed tour, including six major championship wins.
Woods meanwhile remains a strong advocate for the PGA Tour, with his 82 titles including 15 major championships.
Phil Mickelson once said Tiger Woods doesn’t get credit for his ‘smack talk’
The thrilling rivalry between the legendary duo particularly came to light in major championships, but also during an exhibition clash in 2018.
Woods and Mickelson took part in The Match in November of that year, hosted by Las Vegas’s Shadow Creek.
And just before, their thoughts about one another emerged in an interview with CNN, when the interviewer asked: “I love the shade that you guys are throwing back and forth.
“Phil, you came out with the classic saying that it won’t even go the distance. You would take it on the 17th hole. Tiger what are your feelings about Phil’s predictions?”
Woods replied: “He’s right. It won’t get that far. It will end before that,” with Mickelson saying: “Tiger is an underrated smack talker.
“He doesn’t get the credit for his smack talk because he does it so understated and he does it under his breath so nobody else can hear other than you.
“He does a great job of that. But this match is going to be mic’d and I think that fun side of him, that funny side of him is going to come out.”
Shadow Creek hosts The Showdown after The Match with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson
The exciting and innovative contest finished under the lights in Las Vegas, with Mickelson winning the inaugural encounter.
He sank a four-foot birdie on the 22nd hole to edge out his rival, winning $9million in the process, while other sums went to charity after the pair played out various challenges throughout.
Shadow Creek has since played host to a similar clash, when a PGA Tour versus LIV Golf exhibition took place in December.
And it was Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler who triumphed in The Showdown, beating Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
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