The Match: Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy beaten by Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in Florida | Golf News

The contest was the seventh edition of The Match and raised money for Hurricane Ian relief efforts; Tiger Woods birdied his opening hole in first TV appearance since missing the cut at The Open in July; Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas ran out 3&2 winners

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were beaten in the latest edition of The Match

Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas claimed bragging rights over Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy with victory in the latest instalment of The Match.

Spieth and Thomas registered seven birdies during the made-for-tv exhibition at Pelican Golf Club in Florida, raising money for Hurricane Ian relief efforts, to secure a 3&2 victory in the 12-hole contest.

All four players were mic’d up and using custom carts for the floodlit match, which was Woods’ first televised appearance since missing cut at The Open in July after missing last week’s Hero World Challenge through injury.

Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth birdied seven of the 10 holes played in their impressive victory

“Tiger and Rory, what happened?” Thomas and Spieth said on Twitter after the win. “How do you lose to us two? It’s alright, everybody does!”

Woods admitted he hadn’t hit a golf ball for over two weeks ahead of the contest due to plantar fasciitis, although got up and down from just short of the green at the driveable par-four first to tie the hole with a birdie.

Thomas drained a long-range birdie at the second and Spieth rolled in from 15 feet at the par-three next, while Thomas two-putted from off the green using a five-wood for a winning par in the one-club challenge hole.

McIlroy missed a 12-foot birdie try to win the next and the teams claimed a share of the sixth with pars, before the world No 1 drained a 20-footer at the seventh to win the only hole of the contest for him and Woods.

Thomas restored their advantage on the very next hole, rolling in from 12 feet for birdie, with Spieth then matching Woods and McIlroy’s birdie on the 10th to seal the victory.

“The fact that we were able to do something under the lights that never before happened in our sport, to be able to grow it in a different way,” Woods said afterwards.

The contest was the seventh edition of The Match and third appearance for Woods, having been beaten by Phil Mickelson in the inaugural event in 2018 and partnering Peyton Manning to victory in the 2020 contest, while the other three all made their debuts.

Woods will team up with son Charlie to play at the PNC Championship next weekend, their third consecutive appearance in the 36-hole scramble event where major champions and winners of The Players compete alongside a family member.

Watch the PNC Championship live this December on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Saturday from 6pm on Sky Sports Golf.