Has Rory McIlroy played ‘The Match’ before? A look at past participants of the exhibition event

World No. 1 golfer Rory McIlroy will join Tiger Woods in the seventh edition of "The Match." Rory will ve making his debut in the tournament, while Tiger, who played the inaugural season, will be playing 'The Match for the fourth time. Alongside McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas will also debut at the event.

The match is scheduled to be held on December 10 at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.

Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy will team up with Woods to take on Jordan and Thomas. However, this will not be the first time Justin Thomas will face off against Tiger Woods. In September 2021, Thomas teamed up with Rory for a charity match at the Payne Valley Golf Club against Woods.

Woods and McIlroy have also collaborated to form TMRW Sports, a tech-infused sports company, along with other top-rated stars, including Steph Curry, Lewis Hamilton, and Josh Allen.

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Early Life and Career of Rory McIlroy

Born in Holywood, Ireland, Rory McIlroy is one of three players who won four majors before turning 25. He was born on May 4, 1989, to Rosie McDonald and Gerry McIlroy.

Rory was introduced to golf by his father at a very young age. His father held down many jobs to help his son play golf.

McIlroy's hard work paid off; in 2004, he played at the European Boys' Team Championship at 15. He started his professional journey in 2007 at the age of 18.

He has had a successful amateur and professional career. Rory topped the World Amateur Golf Rankings and is now World No. 1 in the official World Rankings.

It is pertinent to note that McIlroy has established himself on the European Tour and then on the PGA Tour. He also won the 2011 US Open. He has represented Ireland, Great Britain, and Europe in several tournaments, both at amateur and professional levels.

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"The Match" Till Now

The television golf series "The Match" started in 2018 with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in a head-to-head round. It began on Thanksgiving Day, with Mickelson winning.

The television extravaganza returned for a second season in 2020 with a team event. Tiger Woods teamed up with NFL star Peyton Manning in a match against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady. This time, Woods' team prevailed.

Rory McIlroy (Image via RBC Canadian Open)

Phil returned for the third edition, but Tiger missed the event because of an injury. This time, Mickelson teamed up with Charles Barkley to take on Peyton Manning and Steph Curry, and the team Phil continued their winning streak.

However, in the fourth edition, Aaron Rodgers and Bryson Dechambeau came out to the top in Montana, defeating Phil and Tom Brady (who returned after the second edition).

Phil missed the rest of the season, and now, as he moved to LIV Golf, he will not be able to continue his journey on "The Match."

Tiger Woods has also not played "The Match" since season two. So all eyes will be on him as he makes his return to the event.