Charles Barkley insisted that his golf game had improved. We are about to find out when he teamed up with Phil Mickelson in a game against Steph Curry and Peyton Manning in Stone Canyon in Arizona.
The match: Champions for change will benefit from historic black colleges and universities.
We’ll cover the entire game by reviewing hole by hole to see if Barkley’s game can last with the cameras on.
Result: Barkley / Mickelson 4 up
No. 12: Part 4
It was just ugly, all around. Both teams fought in the 12th. How bad? Mickelson and Barkley with two strokes for double torture and still win the hole.
Result: Barkley / Mickelson win with double gods.
No. 1
1: Paragraph 4
Barkley and Mickelson toured the desert. This allowed Curry and Manning to finally get away with an easy victory. They needed that.
Result: Victory for curry / manning with gods.
No. 10: Paragraph 5
A safe triple shot from Barkley allows Mickelson to deviate on the second shot at par 5. Barkley, right next to the front end of the green, has a long way to go.
Phil Mickelson had just said he needed to pick up the pace, then gave Charles Barkley 900 words of understanding of the upcoming 5th shot. Phil understands a lot of words today.
Another failed bunker from Manning / Curry leads to another lost hole.
Approaching TIME, where @philmickelson will be high, stepping towards this W for @jacksonstateu pretty soon! #IBELIEVE #TheMatch
– COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) 27 November 2020
Result: Barkley / Mickelson win with a bird.
No. 9: Par. 3
Barkley goes away – literally – from the tee. This is the dirtiest word in golf – handle.
💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/zxSRGSwons
– Toptracer (@Toptracer) November 27, 2020
Take your risk.
Yes, we can even trace the shanks of Charles Barkley 😂 pic.twitter.com/KNy5uhiBZe
– Toptracer (@Toptracer) November 27, 2020
Tom Brady, who had to listen to Barkley take pictures of his golf game when Brady played with Mickelson against Manning and Tiger Woods in May, suggested a few thoughts.
This is a scary chuck … https://t.co/fFsY4fCxx4
– Tom Brady (@TomBrady) November 27, 2020
Forced to play Mickelson’s ball, Barkley touched it with a nice touch to hit it in the range to equalize the hole. They go to the back nine with a 3-year lead over Curry / Manning. But again, Charles’ game is slowly falling apart.
Barkley / Mickelson make a 3-turn turn on Curry / Manning. But Chuck’s game begins to leak oil. Mickelson, who has not stopped talking since the microphones were turned on, will have a serious job ahead of him in the back nine.
Result: Hole tied.
No. 8: Part 4
Mickelson launches his tee into the desert. He hits a rock and bounces almost back into the fairway. “I own the place,” said Mickelson, who literally owns Stone Canyon. Despite a friendly rebound, Curry and Manning finally got another hole after Barkley missed a nominal 4-foot shot. Maybe you can keep the Law and Order repetitions for a while. Barkley’s game becomes a bit unstable.
Result: Curry / Manning win with face value.
No. 7: Paragraph 5
The Carrie / Manning mess continues. At level 5, Manning hits hard and Curry hits well. Wait … sorting?
“They’re 3 down and they’re laying down?” Mickelson asks incredulously.
Manning then tosses his wedge into the bunker. Again, with a chance to take the lead at Barkley / Mickelson, Curry and Manning shook. Instead of winning a hole, they lose another with an ugly double shovel.
“Prepare these Law and Order repetitions for about five holes [from now]”Barkley says, suggesting he thinks his team will pick him up early.
W / all the madness in 2020 there is hope. Charles fixed the golf swing. F. Possible. #TheMatch #TNT
– Jerry Hairston, Jr. (@TheRealJHair) November 27, 2020
Result: Barkley / Mickelson won at face value.
No. 6: Par. 3
With the disgusting help of Barkley’s TNT teammates Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neill and Kenny Smith, they jumped on the show to chew Chuck – Curry and Manning finally had a chance to find a place. Shaq with the best lineup as Barkley lurks his bird, “If you can’t read words, how will you read green?” Still, even after Curry hit a perfect threesome on the short par-3, they didn’t take advantage. Manning lips from 5 feet to stay 3 down.
. @PhilMickelson took Chuck a few @SHAQ golf balls. 😂 #CapitalOnesTheMatch pic.twitter.com/OTTwpStpro
– Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) November 27, 2020
Result: Hole tied.
No. 5: Part 4
Things are not going well for Manning and Curry. After Curry misses the green in the team’s approach, Manning sends a bunker on the green side. Then Curry short the chip on the back of the green. To make matters worse, they need to listen to Mickelson talk more about how well he and Barkley are doing. “We’re winning holes so fast that we need to cut,” Mickelson said.
@PhilMickelson is definitely doing a great job as Charles’s coach. Charles is definitely working on his golf game. #CapitalOnesTheMatch
– Jermaine Dye (@JermaineDye) November 27, 2020
Result: Barkley / Mickelson won at face value.
No. 4: Part 4
Mickelson and Barkley came in with a strategy. (And Mickelson is not shy to speak in the way of every decision, every shot, and every scenario). But it works. Barkley with another iron in the fairway helps create an easy face value. Curry and Manning are still shaken, and when Manning’s partner misses from the bottom, this is another hole lost. Not only does Barkley play well, but his wardrobe of black pants and black shirts has garnered rave reviews from someone else known for his looks.
I’m glad to see Chuck targeting his inner black knight in all his black attire today. Let’s go Chuck and Phil # TheMatch
– GARY PLAYER (@garyplayer) November 27, 2020
Result: Barkley / Mickelson won at face value.
No. 3: Part 4
Mickelson with one of his patented tee “bombs” to give Barkley a look at the eagle. The Eagles missed, but Mickelson walked with 5 legs for another bird and a new victory.
It will be fun, but 3 of these guys are about to find out why Phil Mickelson has his name in his bag! # The match
– Kip Henley PGA looper ☮️ (@KipHenley) November 27, 2020
Result: Barkley / Mickelson win with a bird.
No. 2: Paragraph 5
Another iron on a T-shirt for Barkley, another good result.
Grip on fairways: 2 of 2. pic.twitter.com/ZDrTiG3xva
– PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 27, 2020
The hard ball of the three allows Mickelson to go green in two. He reached the front edge, leaving Barkley with 90 feet for an eagle. He settles the delay 5 feet from the hole.
Peyton Manning may have just given Charles Barkley a new nickname: The Round Mound Up and Down.
After Curry misses her bird, Mickelson turns into even things.
Result: Barkley / Mickelson win with a bird.
No. 1: Part 4
Of course, Charles Barkley and Phil Mickelson lost the first hole after Barkley’s partner slipped away. But let’s focus on the most important thing: there is no stopping in Charles Barkley’s swing.
Was this my man Charles Wade Barkley hitting a draw at number 1 on the fairway?!?!?!
– Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) November 27, 2020
First swing of the day and Charles Barkley puts iron in the fairway. No, really, he did. “It’s going to be a long day for these two young boys right there,” Barkley said as he drove towards his ball.
Barkley said he is working hard on his game. And he went all over Tiger Woods with his first swing, not even watching the flight of his ball. Instead, he immediately bent down to pick up his kettle.
Result: Curry / Manning win with face value.
