On Thursday, two superstar duos from the NFL and the NBA square off on the course in the eighth and latest edition of Capital One’s The Match.
Golden State Warriors teammates Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce face off at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET
The duos will play a 12-hole scramble as all money raised will benefit No Kid Hungry.
Here are three storylines to watch.
What to expect from Klay Thompson?
Of the four players, only one has not competed on TV previously.
That would be Klay Thompson.
Stephen Curry has competed on the Korn Ferry Tour and has played in the American Century Championship, alongside Mahomes and Kelce. The trio is lined up to play in the American Century Championship in a few weeks in Reno, Nev.
Although Thompson has not played in front of the bright lights like the other three competitors, he regularly got out to Diablo Country Club in the Bay Area before his torn Achillies tendon and ACL injuries in 2019.
Over the last month, Thompson has been ramping up and prepping for Thursday.
Two-time major winner and UC Berkley alum Collin Morikawa analyzed all four of the competitor’s swings in a recent Golf Digest video. With a 10-finger grip and a little stiffness, Morikawa rated Thompson as the worst golfer among the four and said “(the swing) is not as good your jumper.”
From a strategy point, Thompson is looking for Curry to take the lead and fill in wherever needed, whether it is to splash a putt to the bottom of the cup or hit a better approach onto the putting surface.
Despite the lack of competition on the course, Thompson will still have the competitive fire with his Splash Brother and his opponents.
Experience will play a factor between Mahomes and Curry
Leading up into the match, Mahomes and Curry have a leading edge in their own way compared to their respective teammates.
Both Mahomes and Curry have played in previous editions of the Match.
Mahomes played in an all-quarterback version of the Match, which showcased him and Josh Allen facing off against Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers last year. Allen and Mahomes lost 1 Up to the veteran play callers
On the other hand, Curry played with Peyton Manning and lost 4 and 3 to Charles Barkley and Phil Mickelson.
However, Mahomes has a slight edge because the all-quarterback match took place at the Wynn Golf Club, the same site as this matchup.
Going back to Curry, he tied for 16th with 41 points in the stableford format during last year’s American Century Championship, whereas Mahomes tied for 51st at three points.
It will be a matchup to see how the two leaders do against one another with their respective experiences on the course.
Will Travis Kelce bring more energy or power during The Match?
That is the question that surrounding the 250-pound tight end this week in The Match.
Kelce comes into the Entertainment Capital of the World looking to be the star alongside his teammate coming off of a Super Bowl victory and their recent White House visit.
One of the funny moments at the White House came when Kelce, Mahomes and the Chiefs presented President Joe Biden with a jersey and the tight end went to the podium. However, before Kelce could get out six words, Mahomes realized what was going on and ensured no further embarrassment was going to be made by pushing Kelce away from the lectern and the hot mic.
On the golf side, the power sides with the Chiefs duo. Being 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds gives Kelce and Mahomes the advantage, in regard to length, but it will depend on if they drive the ball into the fairway from off the tee in order to avoid the rough and any fairway bunkers or water hazards.
When it comes to scramble play, all parts of the game are going to be key from the shots off the tee to your approach game and the short game, either from short chips or with the putter.
Prediction: Who will win?
Curry and Thompson will walk off the course with the victory.
Although Mahomes and Kelce may have the power, Curry has more consistency within his game and Thompson will provide the spark that no one expects, even during the times he goes off on the court.