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You can add Eddie Pepperell to the growing list of people unimpressed by the build-up to tomorrow’s head-to-head between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

The Englishman took to Twitter – where else? – to voice his opinion about the $9m, winner-takes-all, 18-hole match between the two players, taking place at Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas.

And, in true Eddie style, he pulled no punches, labelling the contest “putrid” and “pathetic”.

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Quote-tweeting a post from talkSPORT presenter Georgie Bingham responding to pictures of Woods and Mickelson posing with the $9m loot one of them will win, Pepperell wrote:

Eddie Pepperell

Some of the two-time European Tour winner’s 67,000 Twitter followers were quick to point out that the money from ‘The Match’ will go to charity – which isn’t actually the case. The money from the side-bets the two make during the course of the round will go to charity but the $9m goes to the winner. Neither player has so far confirmed how much of that bounty they’ll give to good causes, saying only that “portions” will be donated to charities of their choosing.

One user countered that, to be disgusted at Tiger and Phil’s $9m match, Pepperell surely had to be equally turned off by the $10m bonus his fellow Englishman Justin Rose was paid for winning the FedEx Cup in September.

As Pepperell pointed out, there’s a big difference:

Four-time PGA Tour winner Steve Flesch is another of Woods and Mickelson’s peers to have taken umbrage at the event. He makes a good point, too.

‘The Match’ is scheduled to get underway tomorrow at 8pm (UK time).


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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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