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Ahead of ‘The Match’ between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson on Friday, things are starting to heat up.

The $9 million showdown at Shadow Creek has, so far, failed to attract the attention the duo would have perhaps hoped, with even the likes of Rory McIlroy saying last week that it ‘missed the mark a little bit’.

The Northern Irishman won’t be tuning in, and fellow 2018 Ryder Cup star Justin Thomas said he won’t be either.

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The American has revealed, though, how he has managed to get the better of Woods in the many bounce matches they have been involved in.

“I think you beat Tiger by just grilling him,” Thomas, who has become great friends with Woods over the past couple of years, told The Action Network.

Tiger Phil

“I’ve always talked a lot of trash; I never stop talking and I’m not going to let someone step all over me. I always tell them, “I’ve been out on tour five years and you haven’t done anything during that time’.”

Ouch!

Thomas has held full PGA Tour status since 2015 and has racked up a total of nine wins in that time, with Woods and Mickelson managing just one win apiece, both of which came in 2018.

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The 25-year-old added that his trash-talking is one of the reasons why he has built up such a strong relationship with the pair in recent times.

“I think that’s why Tiger and Phil respect me the way they do,” he added. “So I’m always talking, grilling him, saying little things. He’s known as having the best focus of anyone in the history of golf, but the more you can get him out of that focus, the better — and there’s nobody better at that than Phil.”

Who do you think will win ‘The Match’?

Will it be Tiger? Will it be Phil? Or do you even care in the slightest? Let us know in the ‘Comments’ section below.

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