The Match 4: Everything to know about Aaron Rodgers vs. Tom Brady in golf

Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson will take on Aaron Rodgers and Bryson DeChambeau in The Match 4 golf tournament on Tuesday, July 6 in Big Sky, MT.

Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady met in the NFC Championship Game this past season and, as we all know, the Buccaneers and their new future Hall-of-Famer quarterback won that meeting before capturing a Super Bowl victory as well. But on Tuesday, the two elite NFL quarterbacks will meet for Capital One’s The Match, also known as The Match 4, on the golf course.

In the fourth installment of this exhibition golf event, this time taking place at a Jack Nicklaus course in Montana, Phil Mickelson returns yet again and will be paired with Brady, who he played with in the second installment. That team fell behind big early to Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning and, though they staged a comeback, could not overcome the deficit.

Rodgers, however, is appearing for the first time in this format and will be paired with a professional, Bryson DeChambeau, who is also a debutant at this event. But considering the trash talk all four athletes have been putting forth on social media and otherwise, this should be one heck of a show.

For NFL and golf fans alike, The Match 4 is going to be can’t-miss stuff. So to make sure you don’t miss it and are ready for the action, we have a breakdown of all you need to know before they hit the first tee.

The Match 4 start time, TV channel, course, broadcasters and how to watch

Date: Tuesday, July 6
Start Time: 5 p.m. ET
Location: The Reserve at Moonlight Basin – Big Sky, MT
TV Channel: TNT, TBS, TruTV
Broadcasters: Charles Barkley, Trevor Immelman, Larry Fitzgerald, Cheyenne Woods (on-course)
Streaming Info: Watch TNT

Unfortunately, FuboTV does not carry TNT, TBS or TruTV. Subsequently, you will need a television subscription that includes the Turner-owned channels to watch the golf match on Tuesday. To stream online, you will need to access the Watch TNT app or website and log in using a valid cable or satellite subscription.

The course playing host to The Match 4, The Reserve at Moonlight Basin, is a Jack Nicklaus design that is, without exception, unique. It plays at 7,500 feet above sea level, which means that balls are going to fly far. Furthermore, many of the holes are downhill, allowing for immense distance. That’s why the course can top out at an unreal 8,000 yards of total length, highlighted by the 777-yard 17th hole. Yes, you read that right.

What is the format for The Match 4 featuring Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady?

As noted, Aaron Rodgers will be paired with Bryson DeChambeau while Tom Brady will be teamed up with Phil Mickelson for the second time in this series of exhibition golf tournaments. But as for the format, the two teams will be facing off in a modified alternate shot match.

Alternate shot is as self-explanatory as it sounds with one teammate hitting the first shot then the other teammate hitting the next one. With that said, the modified portion of this will be that all four players will hit a tee shot and then the alternate shot will begin after they select which drive they’ll be playing at.

For those unfamiliar with match play as well, strokes will be counted for every hole but the match will be scored by hole wins. For instance, if Brady and Mickelson par while Rodgers and DeChambeau make a birdie, that will put the latter team 1-up. If the two teams make the same score on a hole, the overall match play score will remain the same. If a team is up by more holes than are remaining in the match, that team will be declared the winner.

How good are Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady at golf?

In terms of pure handicap metrics, Aaron Rodgers might have the edge over Tom Brady on the golf course. He stated in a 2019 Golf.com interview that he was a 3.5 handicap at his best. Brady, on the other hand, was listed as an 8.1 handicap prior to his previous appearance in this type of exhibition.

With that said, Brady indeed looked a bit shaky in his first time playing in The Match. Outside of a highlight-reel hole-out, his game definitely wasn’t in winning form, hence why he and Mickelson lost. However, the Buccaneers quarterback got stronger as the round went on and, given his competitive nature, it’s not hard to imagine him being locked in for this one.

As for Rodgers, he’s no slouch when it comes to competitiveness and has played many, many competitive rounds in Pro-Am or charity events previously. It feels safe to say that the advantage between the amateurs lies with Rodgers — even if by less than their reported handicaps would suggest.

Picks and predictions for The Match 4

Aaron Rodgers and Bryson DeChambeau will head to the first tee in Big Sky as the favorites over Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson. Having said that, Mickelson and Charles Barkley were underdogs for The Match 3 and won handily. So maybe that will happen again? After all, DeChambeau hasn’t been in great form and Mickelson is the ultimate hit-or-miss player.

Ultimately, though, my prediction is that the favorites win The Match 4. DeChambeau’s length could be a substantial advantage, especially if he can keep it in play, at this course. And with Rodgers being the better amateur, that will push the first-timers to a narrow victory.