What happened in Charles Barkley/Phil Mickelson vs. Steph Curry/Peyton Manning

NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley kept saying he put in the work. That he had practiced. That his golf game, long ridiculed because his swing was disastrously bad, had gotten much better and that he would show the world.

Well, with partner Phil Mickelson constantly in his ear coaching him around Stone Canyon in The Match: Champions for Change against three-time NBA champion Steph Curry and two-time Super Bowl winner Peyton Manning, Barkley shocked everybody. He hit fairways and showed great touch around and on the greens.

In the end, he and Mickelson did what they predicted they would do: They not only won, but won easily.

Here’s how Barkley and Mickelson thumped Curry and Manning:

Score: Barkley/Mickelson beat Curry/Manning 4 and 3

No. 15: Par 5

After some rough golf on the back nine, both teams toss up birdies. But that tie locks up the match for Barkley and Mickelson, securing a 4-and-3 victory.

“Gentlemen, thank you,” Mickelson says as he walks in the winning putt.

Just the two of us. ?

“Two people thought this was going to happen.” pic.twitter.com/N2n3wiSNPb

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 28, 2020

Result: Final: Barkley/Mickelson win 4 and 3

No. 14: Par 3

Before the match, Barkley kept telling Curry and Manning they would learn the word “dormie.” Well, it just happened. With a pair of pars, the lead for Barkley/Mickelson remains 4 up with four to play, meaning, as Barkley predicted, the match is now “dormie.”

Result: Hole tied.

No. 13: Par 4

Another missed chance for Curry and Manning. A three-putt turns a needed win into a tie when Curry misses from 6 feet.

The best part of the hole? Mickelson asking Barkley if he had a sandwich in his cart and Barkley’s less-than-pleasant assessment of himself after a poor wedge approach. In the moments when Mickelson isn’t talking, Barkley has been predictably entertaining.

Curry and Manning are running out of holes.

Charles Barkley is going to beat Stephen Curry and Peyton Manning in golf…if you needed more proof that 2020 is bizarro world ?#TheMatch

— Adam Lefkoe (@AdamLefkoe) November 27, 2020

Result: Hole tied.

No. 12: Par 4

This was just ugly, all around. Both teams struggled their way through the 12th. How bad was it? Mickelson and Barkley two-putt for double bogey and still win the hole.

Result: Barkley/Mickelson win with double bogey.

No. 11: Par 4

Barkley and Mickelson took a tour of the desert. That allowed Curry and Manning to finally get away with an easy win. They needed it.

Result: Curry/Manning win with bogey.

No. 10: Par 5

A safe tee shot from Barkley allows Mickelson to swing away on the second shot into the par-5 10th. Barkley, just off the front edge of the green, has a long way for eagle.

Phil Mickelson just said that they need to pick up the pace then gave Charles Barkley a 900-word breakdown of the upcoming shot at the par-5 10th. Phil is getting in a lot of words today.

Nick Pietruszkiewicz, ESPN.com2h ago

Another failed bunker shot from Manning/Curry leads to another lost hole.

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