In a highly anticipated showdown featuring two legendary athletes, Wayne Gretzky emerged victorious against Michael Phelps in the finals of TNT Sports' The Match: Superstars tournament held on Friday. This event marked the 10th installment of The Match, a charitable series that has collectively raised over $41 million since its inception in 2018.
The tournament featured eight competitors, consisting of celebrities and former star athletes, which was narrowed down to four after Thursday's quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Phelps competed against Mark Wahlberg while Gretzky faced Bill Murray at the Breakers West Country Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Each match consisted of nine holes played in a match play format. Phelps secured his place in the final by defeating Wahlberg in a playoff after the initial round concluded in a tie. Wahlberg initially took a two-hole lead after three holes, but Phelps responded by winning back-to-back holes, including a remarkable long putt on the fifth hole. Although Phelps briefly went one-up on the seventh, Wahlberg evened the score on the eighth, resulting in a playoff on the par-three ninth hole, where Phelps secured a birdie on his first attempt to clinch the match.
In the other semifinal, Gretzky faced Murray in an engaging contest. Murray gained an early advantage by winning the first hole, but Gretzky answered back, taking the third and fourth holes, including a notable long putt on the fourth. The match remained closely contested, with both players all square after the sixth hole and advancing to the eighth hole in a tie. However, Gretzky seized control by winning the eighth hole and concluded the match with a long birdie putt on the ninth, taking a two-hole victory.
A humorous moment occurred during the Gretzky and Murray pre-hole interview when a golf cart operator accidentally crashed into a nearby fence, amusing both players and onlookers. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, although the fence sustained noticeable damage. In the final matchup, Gretzky established an early two-hole lead, but Phelps managed to narrow the gap by winning the fifth hole. Despite Phelps’ efforts, Gretzky claimed the seventh hole to regain a two-hole advantage with two holes remaining. Ultimately, Phelps struggled on the eighth hole and conceded to Gretzky, who captured the championship title.
