Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are playing Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau in The Showdown. The made-for-tv event pits the two PGA Tour players against the two LIV Golfers for $10 million in cryptocurrency. A mainstay of events like The Showdown is Charles Barkley, the Basketball Hall of Famer who is an avid golfer. McIlroy took a jab at Barkley when the analyst asked the major champion about his eating habits.

“Hey Rory, I've got a question for you,” Barkley asked. “I notice you're eating a snack now. How much in a regular round do you eat?” McIlroy responded through a mouth full of protein bar, “Not as much as you, Chuck.”

Barkley is in the booth with PGA Tour broadcaster Trevor Immelman and LIV Gold broadcaster David Feherty, continuing the motif. McIlroy and Scheffler started hot, winning the first six-hole mini-match 3&2 and scraping out a one-up victory in the second set.

Article Continues Below
More NBA News
General view of the TNT court side broadcast table before a game between the Phoenix Suns against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
Inside the NBA signs off TNT era with literal mic dropsJaren Kawada ·
General view of a TNT broadcast camera before game between LA Clippers against the Denver Nuggets during five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena.
Shaq, Kenny Smith drop F-bomb warnings to ESPNZachary Weinberger ·
Shaquille O'Neal looks on before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks in game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden.
Shaq drops NSFW warning to ESPN on final Inside the NBARichard Pereira ·
Cavaliers' guard Darius Garland with Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle - NBA trade rumors and scenarios
Timberwolves’ Darius Garland trade headlines 4 intriguing scenarios before NBA DraftBrett Siegel ·
Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) controls the ball against Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto defeated Houston 108-105.
10 most surprising NBA players to reach 20K career pointsSpencer See ·
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) jostles for position under the basket in the second quarter at Fiserv Forum.
10 most unexpected superstars in NBA historySpencer See ·

Golf fans should watch The Showdown thinking about next month's TGL premier. The simulator league founded by McIlroy and Tiger Woods features only PGA Tour players. It begins in January, around the same time the Tour schedule picks up. It is said to feature more banter between the players, who will wear microphones.

DeChambeau and Koepka will not be involved in TGL but will play on LIV Golf again this season. When this match was announced, fans hoped it was the first step to a deal between the leagues. The PGA Tour and LIV Golf signed a framework agreement in June of 2023 that has not moved forward.

Moments like this will help facilitate these matches in the future. Players should lean into the banter part of this while taking the golf seriously, as Rory McIlroy does.