A permanent reunification of golf seems far away, but some of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s biggest stars are moving forward with their own plans for head-to-head competition.
The PGA Tour’s Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, as well as LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, have already announced plans to compete in a made-for-TV event. NOW, as Golfweek first reportedwe have a name, a date and a place.
“The Showdown” – hosted by some of the people who created “The Match,” the ongoing celebrity golf series – will take place Tuesday, Dec. 17 at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas. The game will be broadcast on TNT, likely in prime time on the East Coast.
“It’s not just a competition between some of golf’s greatest champions; it’s an event designed to energize fans,” McIlroy said in a statement announcing the event. “We’re all here to put on a great show and contribute to a goodwill event that brings the best together again.”
There is a lot of history between all these players. All four are multiple major winners, with Koepka’s five leading the pack, followed by McIlroy’s four and Scheffler and DeChambeau’s two. Most recently, McIlroy and DeChambeau battled until the 72nd hole at the US Open. Koepka and DeChambeau were involved in a highly publicized war of words before they both left for LIV Golf. Scheffler eclipsed the recent achievements of the other three with his spectacular 2024.
Negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, LIV Golf’s backer, have yet to result in reunification despite lofty promises made more than a year ago. If The Showdown is a success, it could prompt both sides to find common ground, as fan interest in reuniting the game would be clear. Currently, most PGA Tour and LIV Golf players only cross paths at the four majors of the year, and only when they are eligible to play in those events.