COIN TOSS UNDERWAY

Unlike the Ryder Cup, McIlroy and Scheffler are on the same team for The Showdown, and they’re resplendent in matching grey sweaters and white caps, too. It’s a predominantly navy blue look for Koepka and DeChambeau.

We’re about to have the coin toss…

US OPEN RIVALRY RENEWED

Both World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and five-time Major winner Brooks Koepka are box office, but after the events of the US Open, surely much of the attention will be on how things play out between McIlroy and DeChambeau. 

Just six months and a day since McIlroy’s pursuit of a first Major title in a decade was thwarted by DeChambeau at Pinehurst No.2, the two go head-to-head again.

Meanwhile, it’s just been confirmed on-air that Rory will be up against Bryson in the final six holes of singles. Bring it on!

PERFECT CONDITIONS

It looks like a beautiful day for the contest at Shadow Creek. It’s just been described as “a cool December day”. It’s about 65F and the sun is shining. Judging by the trees surrounding the course, there doesn’t appear to be much wind either. Because of the shorter days at this time of the year, most of the action will take place under the lights.

BROADCASTING DUTIES

There’s even a LIV Golf/PGA Tour rivalry among the broadcast team, with LIV’s David Feherty plus Bubba Watson as an on-course reporter. Trevor Immelman, who regularly covers the PGA Tour on NBC Sports, is also involved, while Charles Barkley will also be part of the coverage.

WHAT ABOUT THE COURSE?

On the day it was revealed the PGA Tour is dropping Las Vegas event the Shriners Childrens Open after a 42-year run, the city’s Shadow Creek Golf Club hosts The Showdown.

It’s one to savor, too, and has the most expensive green fees in the US, coming in at north of $1,000. The Tom Fazio-designed course was opened in 1989. Look out for the signature hole – the par-3 17th, which requires a shot over water to a green guarded by bunkers and a waterfall overlooking it.

It’s also where Phil Mickelson played Tiger Woods in the first edition of The Match, in 2018, while it was the venue for this year’s T-Mobile Match Play on the LPGA Tour.

WHAT’S THE FORMAT? 

Here’s a bit more detail on how the 18 holes of action will play out:

Holes 1-6: Fourballs – each golfer plays their own ball and the teammate with the lower score on that hole provides his team’s score.

Holes 7-12: Foursomes – each team plays one ball and teammates hit alternate shots until the ball is holed. One teammate will tee off on the odd-numbered holes; the other player on the even-numbered ones.

Holes 13-18: Singles – a one-on-one match between a player from each side. The exact format of this section has yet to be announced.

NEW DRIVER FOR BRYSON?

The Golfing Scientist is well-known as a player willing to try any minor tweak to maximize his performance, and before the contest, he was seen practicing with a new driver. Here’s what we know about it

THE CONTEST THE GOLF WORLD HAS CRAVED!

This year, we’ve had The Match IX featuring Max Homa, Rory McIlroy, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang and The Match Superstars, a pre-recorded affair with an all-celebrity format. But as far as exhibition contests go, The Showdown is the one we’ve been waiting for – and that the golf world has craved for over two years.

Ever since LIV Golf came on the scene, opportunities to see the best players from it and the PGA Tour have been largely limited to Majors. That all changes here, as McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler from the PGA Tour take on LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.

UPDATES THROUGHOUT

The Showdown is only being broadcast in the US (although if you’re away from home, thanks to the wonders of a VPN, you can still access the streaming services you subscribe to back in the US.)

If you’re not able to watch the action, we’ll have updates here throughout. It begins around 6pm ET (or 11pm GMT).

Welcome to Golf Monthly’s coverage of the Crypto.com Showdown. Follow along all evening to see which team prevails.