Michael Phelps Finishes Runner-Up to “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky in The Match Golf Tourney

Swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, finished second in the 10th edition of the made-for-television golf tournament called The Match. He lost in the final to legendary hockey player and the NHL’s all-time leading scorer Wayne Gretzky.

The series began in 2018 with a marquee matchup between two of the most popular golfers in history, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickleson, with $9 million going to the winner. The series was always intended to evolve into other formats, including an upcoming matchup between players from golf’s two feuding tours the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf Tour, and more recently has included celebrities from outside of the world of golf. The series has raised over $41 million for charity in seven years.

This edition has been billed as The Match Superstars and included an all-celebrity format. This was the first edition that was pre-recorded, given its format. The winner, Gretzky, took home a $1 million prize.

In the quarterfinals, eight celebrities were divided into teams of two.

• Wayne Gretzky (hockey) & Bill Murray (actor)
• Charles Barkley (basketball/television host) & Ken Griffey, Jr. (baseball)
• Michael Phelps (swimming) & Mark Wahlberg (actor)
• Blake Griffin (basketball) & Nate Bargatze (comedian/actor)

In the quarterfinals, teams played in a 9 hole scramble. In this format, teams of two work together to record the lowest score on a hole – the lowest score between teammates counts as the team’s score for the hole, and the team with the lower score wins the hole.

Phelps and Wahlberg crushed Griffin and Bargatze, taking a four hole lead after just six holes, ending the match early.

In the other half of the bracket, Gretzky and Murray beat the Griffey and the famously-bad golf stroke of Barkley, but it was tightly contested. After nine holes, the teams were tied, and they replayed the ninth hole until the tie was broken – with Gretzky making a birdie putt to advance.

In the semifinals, the pairs split up and faced off head-to-head in nine holes of match play (1 point awarded for each hole won) for a shot at the final. Phelps beat Wahlberg on the first playoff hole, overcoming an early deficit, including a long putt on the fifth – Phelps’ specialty – to tie the match.

The other semi-final saw Gretzky winning with a long birdie putt on the ninth hole over Murray.

Someone crashed a golf cart during an interview with Gretzky and Murray.

A golf cart crashed during Gretzky & Bill Murray’s interview 🤣

Murray was stunned 😭

📺 on @StreamOnMax | TNT pic.twitter.com/ODx6tz367o

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 23, 2024

In the final, Gretzky took two holes early, with Phelps cutting the lead to one on the fifth. Gretzky great the lead back to two after the seventh, leaving him two up with two holes to go. Phelps needed the last two holes to force a tie, and came up short on the eighth, giving Gretzky the match.

More video coverage of The Match is available on Bleacher Report’s YouTube Channel here.

Phelps has always been a passionate golfer, with his game improving significantly since retirement. Among Phelps’ reported handicaps: he was a 26 in 2012, a 16 in 2013, earlier this year got that down to 7, and at the Olympics (where he attended the golf tournament as a fan) he said he had that down to 6. A golfer’s handicap is calculated based on their best eight scores from their most recent 20 rounds, adjusted for the difficulty of the course.

In 2012, during a Proam tournament, Phelps made a 159 foot putt, which at the time was the longest televised putt in the history of the sport by a pro or amateur. Pro golfer Ian Poulter broke that record in July 2022 when he made a 162 foot putt at the British Open.

Phelps Video Highlights From “The Match”