Charles Barkley had no problem roasting Tom Brady’s golf game as a commentator during “The Match 2” earlier this year.
Now, it’s “Sir Charles” who is the target as sportsbooks have generated a wide variety of prop bets around The Match III: Champions for Change on Friday. The competition will feature Barkley and teammate Phil Mickelson playing against Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and Peyton Manning, who this week was named as a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Sir Charles teaming with Phil Mickelson
Barkley has one distinct edge in his partner, with Mickelson Golf Properties owning the Stone Canyon Golf Club in Oro Valley, Arizona, where the match will be played (3 p.m. ET, TNT).
Mickelson beat Tiger Woods in the original The Match back in 2018. Woods and Manning beat Mickelson and Brady in the sequel earlier this year, which took place during a heavy Florida rainstorm in May.
While Woods will not be involved this time, Mickelson agreed to team with Barkley, whose golf swing was the subject of famed instructor Hank Haney’s reality show “The Haney Project.” Referring to his partner, Mickelson said Stone Canyon has, “Chuck tees,” that are “a little bit further up.”
“If I can hit the green, and let him putt, that’s our strategy on that,” Mickelson said, viaGolfweek. “Same thing on the drivable par 4s. We saw what happened in Match II where we were really getting beat up pretty good and then Tom and I, on 11, I drive the green and he rolls the putt in for eagle and it just turns the whole match the other way.”
Curry/Manning heavy betting favorites
Team Curry/Manning are a -170 betting favorite by SportsBetting.com, with Team Barkley/Mickelson being offered at +140.
But the real fun comes with the prop market, mostly focused on Barkley, who played college basketball at Auburn before going on to become a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
SportsBetting.com “Charles Barkley” props:
Which will be greater?
- Distance of Barkley’s opening tee shot (-150)Auburn rushing yards vs. Alabama (+120)
Which will be greater?
- Barkley total hole-winning shots (+100)Bo Nix total TDs vs. Alabama (-130)
What will Charles Barkley say first?
- Terrible (+100)Auburn (+150)Tiger (+250)
How many side bets will be made by Barkley during match?
- Over 6.5 / Under 6.5
Will Charles Barkley make a putt over 10 feet?
- Yes +220, No -300
Will Charles Barkley hit fairway with tee shot on No. 1?
- Yes +130, No -160
Will Charles Barkley hit green with tee shot on No. 6?
- Yes +200, No -250
–Field Level Media ()