Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will compete against one another not only in the 2025 Ryder Cup later this month but a new exhibition golf match slated for Wednesday, Dec. 17 in Jupiter, Florida. Dubbed the Golf Channel Games, the event will feature a pair of four-man teams competing in a slew of different playing formats under primetime lights and against the pressure of a clock.
“The Golf Channel Games bring a fresh approach to golf, inspired by events like the NFL Combine and all-star games from top professional leagues,” McIlroy said. “They give players the chance to showcase their skills across unique challenges and offer fans a new way to enjoy the game in the postseason. I am looking forward to competing in this new, fun format.”
There will be four formats competitors will need to traverse through at Trump National Jupiter. The first is a timed drive, chip and putt where players will compete individually and drive the ball a total number of yards, chip the ball within a certain distance of the pin and hole a specific number of feet of putts all against the clock.
Next, players will be tasked with competing in a 14-club challenge where one competitor from each team will face off against another. The head-to-head competitors will pull clubs from the same golf bag and strike shots from predetermined distances in the fairway during a closest-to-the-pin contest. Once a club is used, it will be eliminated, meaning each player will strike seven different shots with all 14 clubs being used. All eight players in the competition will compete across four head-to-head matchups.
Team strategy will be involved in the next format as a timed shootout will take place in the form of a four-player alternate shot across three holes. Teammates will be staged in certain positions — one on the tee, one in the fairway and two on and around the greens — and whichever side finishes with the best score in the shortest amount of time wins.
Finally, McIlroy and Scheffler will go head-to-head in a captain’s challenge. Each player will strike shots from 100 yards, 50 yards, a bunker, greenside and putts of 50 feet and 10 feet. Whoever has the lowest combined distance from the hole for the shots will win.
“The Golf Channel Games will be a great mix of skill, strategy, and pressure,” Scheffler said. “This will be a brand new way for the players and the fans to experience the game of golf. Everyone knows how competitive we are, and I think the Golf Channel Games will be an innovative competition that will engage the viewers. I’m excited to be a part of this.”
Additional participants in the Golf Channel Games will be announced in the coming weeks.