The PGA Tour is still more than a month away from restarting its schedule but Tour-caliber golf will return on May 17 with the TaylorMade Driving Relief, a two-man team event that will benefit COVID-19 relief efforts.
Rory McIlroy will partner with Dustin Johnson to play Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff in a team skins game at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida.
The event will be aired live from 2-6 p.m. (ET) on NBC, Golf Channel, NBCSN and Sky Sports, and will be streamed for free on PGA Tour Live (NBC Sports Gold and Amazon Prime Video), GolfPass, GolfChannel.com.
“It’s been difficult to witness what so many are enduring over the last several weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” McIlory said in a statement. “I hope that we can provide some respite and entertainment for those tuning in across the globe. Dustin and I will have a lot of fun together and our games will fit well as we push to raise funds and awareness on May 17.”
Officials intend to follow CDC social distancing guidelines and will utilize appropriate testing measures to help protect the health and safety of the golfers, production crew and others on site. No fans will be allowed on site.
UnitedHealth Group has pledged $3 million in charity skins with proceeds going to the American Nurses Foundation (for which McIlroy and DJ are playing) and CDC Foundation (Fowler and Wolff). Farmers Insurance will pledge an additional $1 million for a birdies-and-eagle pool to benefit Off Their Plate, which aids COVID-19 healthcare workers.
The live coverage will feature commentary from NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico from his home in Michigan, as well as analysts Paul Azinger and Gary Koch and play-by-play with Rich Lerner from an off-site production facility. Jerry Foltz and Steve Sands will be on-site course reporters.
The Tour is scheduled to return June 11 at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.