The Match III: Is Steph Curry good enough to play on the PGA Tour?

Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning got the best of Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady in The Match: Champions for Charity on Memorial Day Weekend. Now, Manning and Mickelson are back for the third rendition of the popular made-for-TV event, but this time Mickelson is the only pro golfer among a fresh, new foursome.

Mickelson will pair up with NBA legend Charles Barkley, a longtime recreational golfer known for his peculiar swing, in Friday’s The Match: Champions for Change at Stone Canyon Golf Club in Oro Valley, Arizona.

The two will go up against Manning, who carries a 6.4 handicap index, and Golden State Warriors All-Star guard Steph Curry.

You may be thinking it's a bit unfair to pit a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and three-time NBA champion against a team featuring a five-time major winner on the golf course.

What you may not know, however, is that Curry is such a good golfer he has considered making the jump to the PGA Tour once he retires from basketball.

Curry has impressive history on the golf course

The two-time NBA MVP has been playing the sport since he was a kid and was the best player on his high school golf team.

He is a frequent participant at the American Century Championship celebrity tournament and has played on the developmental tour of the PGA Tour, though he has never made the cut during one of his appearances.

Curry is a scratch golfer, meaning he can play at a 0 handicap on all rated golf courses. For comparison, golfer Ian Poulter famously turned pro while playing at a 4 handicap.

In 2017 and 2018, Curry was granted a sponsor's exemption and participated in the Ellie Mae Classic, part of the Web.com Tour (now known as the Korn Ferry Tour). 

In his first appearance, he got off to a laughable start, when his first shot off the tee landed in a cup holder of a nearby golf cart. Curry bounced back to finish with a 74 and ultimately missed the weekend.

In his 2018 outing at the Ellie Mae Classic, Curry shot a one-over-par 71 on the first day, then unraveled to shoot an 86 the next.

He fared better in 2019 at the Safeway Open pro-am, where he played alongside Mickelson. After the event, Mickelson praised the basketball star’s "bombs off the tee" and suggested, "We'd be good alternate-shot partners."

President Barack Obama also recognized Curry's proficient golf game by inviting him to play a round of golf back when Obama was still in office.

Most recently, Curry played the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in July. Facing the likes of NFL quarterback Tony Romo, another skilled golfer, former Bills Pro Bowler Kyle Williams (a fellow scratch golfer), and his dad Dell, Curry finished fourth at the tournament.

Barkley played the same event and finished second to last, after he made just three pars.

While former pro tennis player Mardy Fish won the celebrity competition, it should be noted the top-three finishers (Williams and John Smoltz came in second and third, respectively) are all retired from professional sports and have much more free time to hone their golf game.

Curry is busy focusing on an entirely different sport while in the prime of his basketball career and still managed to remain competitive.

Back in 2015, ESPN golf reporter Michael Collins, who spent a decade as a professional caddie, asserted that Curry has the talent to play professional golf.

On his podcast, Collins stated, "If (Curry) quit basketball, and took eight months and only trained in golf, he could probably make the Tour. The Web.com Tour for sure, but he could probably make it on the PGA Tour."

To find out if Collins’ PGA Tour prediction is true, we likely have to wait a while for Curry to finish up his basketball career.

Either way, his golf swing has bettors feeling confident about his and Manning’s chances of beating Mickelson and Barkley the day after Thanksgiving.

Star athletes fill out The Match III broadcast

Curry and Manning are -165 favorites over Mickelson and Barkley (+130) at Stone Canyon, a course owned by Mickelson Golf Properties.

Sure, Barkley is one reason bettors are fading Mickelson’s team, but to even the playing field, the course has implemented "Chuck tees" to help out Barkley.

The Match will be hosted by sportscaster Brian Anderson, Masters winner Trevor Immelman, and Curry’s former teammate Andre Iguodala. 

On-course reporters include pro golfers Cheyenne Woods and Gary McCord. Eli Manning and Michelle Wie will conduct the pre-game show.

How to watch the Match III

You can catch the Match III on Friday, Nov. 27, at 3:00 p.m. ET on TNT. Bleacher Report will also feature exclusive live content, while PGATour.com will provide scoring and hole-by-hole updates.

The event will benefit Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and raise awareness and highlight opportunities for diversity and equality in sports.

The Match II raised $20 million for COVID-19 relief and became the most-watched golf event in cable television history, with 5.8 million viewers.

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Find the latest odds on The Match and other Thanksgiving weekend sports action at BetAmerica.