Super Bowl champions Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes have had plenty to celebrate over the past few months, and that didn’t seem to slow down Wednesday as they thrashed Steph Curry and Klay Thompson on the Las Vegas golf course.
The superstar quartet joined the Wynn for the eighth episode of ‘The Match’ in a massive NFL vs NBA showdown, featuring four of the biggest names in American sports.
And it was the NFL that came out on top, with Kelce showing incredible talent on a completely different stage to help him and Chiefs teammate Mahomes win 3&2 against their NBA rivals at The Wynn.
Heading to the first tee, the Golden State Warriors pair of Curry and Thompson were heavy favorites with the bookmakers, in part due to the former’s incredible golfing ability.
Before the game started, Draymond Green told TNT’s television coverage, “Steph Curry is a professional-level golfer.”
Patrick Mahomes watches The Match as he and teammate Travis Kelce easily beat their NBA rivals in Las Vegas
Steph Curry (pictured), who teamed up with Klay Thompson, putts in front of an audience at The Wynn Golf Club in Vegas
Kelce flew from the very first shot as he ripped his first drive straight down the middle of the fairway on the first hole
But it was Kelce who got the most cheers from the crowd on the first tee, when he hit his drive straight through the middle – well beyond Curry’s effort soon after.
The two teams split the spoils on the first hole of the 12-hole league, but the Chiefs NFL duo quickly took a lead that didn’t slow as ‘The Match’ progressed.
Incredibly, Kelce and Mahomes were 4 Up through the first six holes, with Kelce in particular showing impressive drive and a nice touch around the greens.
Despite this, at one point Mahomes was very eager to temper expectations when his teammate – both on the NFL field and now on the golf course – made a shot from the rough.
“You guys need to back up…we’re not pros,” he yelled to the crowd, who lined the fairways as if they were at a PGA Tour event.
More than a few times, “for” was the shout from the players, as the fans ducked for cover from the wayward shots of all four players.
On the seventh hole, Mahomes and Kelce looked poised to go 5 Up with five to play, but Thompson had other ideas.
For Green, there was more than just pride at play in “The Match,” as he had previously revealed a $10,000 charity bet with NFL star Von Miller on which sport would win.
Curry plays from a bunker throughout The Match, but despite his talent, the NBA duo was never anywhere near the lead
All four players – some of the most talented in American sports history – pose for photos ahead of the 12-hole game in Vegas
The players were all put on microphone throughout the day so they could be interviewed live on TV by the likes of Charles Barkley
On the eighth hole, both teams were instructed to play a game closest to the pin, with a $2 million bid if anyone could get a hole-in-one. While neither did, one million meals were promised to No Kid Hungry, a charity started with the goal of ending child hunger in America.
On the green, the NBA pair managed to hang on to the competition as both Kelce and Mahomes missed birdie putts to win The Match…much to Green’s delight.
And then, on the ninth, a sniff comeback as the NFL pair missed another two putts, this time to gift the hole to their NBA rivals, leading to Curry running back to his golf cart, eager to get to the 10th tee to go. continue their streak of winning holes.
Moments later, however, there was no luck for the NBA pair on the 10th. Green had previously joked that he is ‘hoping for a new contract in a few days’, and that he may need it to top up his bank balance – as the bet with Miller was lost as Kelce holed out at close range to score another big win to seal. for these two champion Chiefs.
Kelce (right) and Mahomes are used to winning and that continued in Vegas when they added The Match to the Super Bowl
Mahomes plays a tricky shot from the start as The Wynn looms in the background and hundreds of fans watch
Despite The Match being over, the fans who had turned out en masse in Vegas were treated to the last two holes, with the party atmosphere in full swing as Kelce drank beer and all four players signed autographs in front of watching young supporters.
This was the eighth iteration of ‘The Match’, but the first time two different sports – not including golf – competed in a showdown.
The competition began in 2018 with Tiger vs Phil, when Woods took on Mickelson for a $9 million purse. At the rematch two years later – in the midst of the Covid pandemic – the same players were joined by amateur partners, while Peyton Manning joined Woods to hold off Mickelson and his partner Tom Brady.
In November 2020, Mickelson and Charles Barkley defeated Manning and Steph Curry, before the fourth edition of the tournament saw Mickelson and Brady against Aaron Rodgers and Bryson DeChambeau.
Draymond Green (pictured interviewing the players before the game started) lost a $10,000 bet with NFL star Von Miller
Curry and Thompson discuss driving range tactics before the tournament, but it doesn’t help them
Curry was described by Green as ‘a professional golfer’ before the tournament, but he came out on the losing side
DeChambeau was back a year later in 2021 for a real grudge match against Brooks Koepka as an average of 1.2 million viewers watched the latter win on the ninth hole.
2022 marked the first time that no golfers were involved as Brady and Rodgers defeated Josh Allen and Mahomes in an all-out NFL battle to see the old guard win against their younger quarterback rivals.
The Match VII was a primetime event in December 2022 when Woods and Rory McIlroy took on Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas in Bel Air with the latter winning 3 and 2 in the 12-hole event.
While the golf on display may not quite live up to the standards of some previous years, this NBA vs NFL battle had a remarkable impact for charity, with over $35 million raised.