Match pits Curry’s swing against Barkley’s mouth
Warriors fans know Stephen Curry can make a 3point shot amid the thick, smothering tension of an NBA playoff game. But can he sink a birdie putt amid the sharp, relentless verbal jabs of Phil Mickelson and Charles Barkley?
Friday’ s made for television charity golf event outside Tucson, in which Mickelson and Barkley face Curry and Peyton Manning, will feature plenty of lively chatter. That much was evident in TNT’s video chat this week to promote “The Match: Champions for Change.”
Mickelson nonchalantly referred to his upgrade in partners from a similar match in May, when he and Tom Brady fell to Manning and Tiger Woods. Upgrade? Manning found this a curious characterization, given Barkley’s longtime, hitchfilled, welldocumented struggles with his golf swing.
Not surprisingly, Mickelson insisted his comment had more to do with Barkley’s mouth.
“The way to win is to get both of you out of your element, and there’s nobody better at that than Charles,” Mickelson said. “He knows what to say and how to say it at the right time. I know you’ll try shots you shouldn’t, and that’s how we’re going to end up winning.”
To which Manning replied: “That will be a challenge for us, not to watch or listen to Charles.”
This banter offered an entertaining preview of Friday’s match. It also helped convey why the event in May, during which all four players wore microphones and routinely traded goodnatured barbs, resonated with viewers more than the Woods-Mickelson match in November 2018.
And now into this unusual realm steps Curry, a twotime NBA Most Valuable Player and borderlineobsessive golfer. He made two starts on what is now known as the Korn Ferry Tour, played in the Safeway Open proam multiple times and annually competes in the American Century celebrity tournament near South Lake Tahoe.
Curry enjoyed watching the Mickelson/ BradyWoods/ Manning match in May so much, he quickly tweeted his interest in participating in the next edition. So here he stands six months later, teaming with Manning, the former Colts/ Broncos quarterback — and fully prepared for the barrage of heckling from Mickelson and Barkley.
“That’s the benefit of playing in front of 19,000 people — you can handle noise and distractions,” Curry said. “Between me and Peyton, point guards and quarterbacks, there are a lot of similarities in how we see things, and being able to react on our feet.”
Among the analysts on Turner’s coverage Friday are former Warriors forward Andre Iguodala, a frequent golf companion for Curry, and former PGA Tour pro Trevor Immelman. Curry and Immelman, the 2008 Masters champion, also have some history on the course.
A few years ago, while in Florida on a Warriors road trip, Curry called Immelman — now a broadcaster who lives in Orlando — and asked if he wanted to play golf. Their round made it clear why Curry, a scratch player, holds his own with a club in hand.
“When you play with an athlete that gifted,” Immelman said, “you realize the handeye coordination, the ability to generate speed, the fasttwitch muscle fiber — you see all that immediately from the warmup.”
The match in May raised more than $ 20 million for COVID19 relief efforts; Friday’s event will benefit historically black colleges and universities ( HBCUs). Curry designated Howard University as his beneficiary of choice, in the wake of donation last year of more than $ 1 million to establish a Division I golf program at the school.
That purpose leaves an impression on Immelman, to see athletes such as Curry, Manning and Barkley wander out of their customary domain in full public view.
“Even though they may not be in their comfort zone, they’re willing to put themselves out there for worthwhile causes,” Immelman said.
Barkley figures to expose himself to the most potential embarrassment. Some context: Curry finished fourth in the 70man field at the Tahoe celebrity event in July … and Barkley was 69th, ahead of only former NFL running back Eddie George.
Even so, Barkley will bring his quick wit and new-and-improved swing to Friday’s alternateshot match. He said he has hit balls at least five hours a day to prepare, every day for the past month.
“If I don’t play well, I’m going to be disappointed,” Barkley said.
Mickelson insisted he finds hope in the way Barkley played back in the day. They met in the 1990s, when Mickelson lived in Arizona and Barkley was in the prime of his NBA career with the Phoenix Suns.
That was a long time ago, of course; Barkley, who retired from basketball in 2000, now is 57.
“We’re going to dig deep and bring that game back, and I think we’re going to win by kind of a large margin,” Mickelson said. “My man ( Barkley) can putt. If I can get the shots around the cactus and onto the greens, we’re going to be in good shape.”