Thomas and Spieth more than 'Match' for Woods and McIlroy

Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas triumphed 3&2 over Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in The Match on Saturday.

The seventh version of the 12-hole exhibition challenge was held at the Pelican Golf Club in Florida for Woods' return to the event he helped launch.

Spieth and Thomas dominated from the early stages, claiming holes two, three and four before Woods and McIlroy finally clawed one back on the seventh.

However Spieth and Thomas restored their advantage on the very next hole, then matched Woods and McIlroy's birdie on the 10th to seal the victory.

Woods is still recovering from injuries suffered in a car accident. It was McIlroy's debut in The Match. Spieth and Thomas are long-time friends and were also taking part for the first time.

Phil Mickelson beat Woods in the inaugural event in 2018, with the last event taking place on 1 June when Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers were victorious against Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes in a clash of American football quarterbacks.

"Tiger and Rory, what happened," Thomas and Spieth spoofed on Twitter afterward. "How do you lose to us two? It's all right, everybody does."

Hey Tiger and Rory … WHAT HAPPENED?!?! pic.twitter.com/twrgI3C6pP

The event raised millions of dollars for relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

"The fact that we were able to do something under the lights that never before happened in our sport, to be able to grow it in a different way," Woods said afterward.

It was Tiger's third appearance in The Match, while the other three made their debut in the made-for-TV event.