Charles Barkley picks Max Homa ahead of Rory McIlroy in Capital One’s ‘The Match.” The former NBA star, however, roots for the “ladies” the most. This year’s ‘The Match’ comes with a twist. Along with the two PGA Tour pros, LPGA stars, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang are also teeing up at the charity event. “Max Homa is my favorite. I love Rory but I’m pulling for the ladies,” Barkley told the PGA Tour. 

Thompson, an 11-time winner of the female circuit, has already teed up against men as recently as October last year. Although she did fail to make the cut at the Shriners Children’s Open, Thompson made quite the impact. Rose Zhang, on the other hand, has made a name for herself, winning on her maiden LPGA Tour outing after becoming the two-time NCAA Division I champion. Both were also part of the 2023 Solheim Cup team. Barkley said that he had known Lexi Thompson for a long time and was stoked to watch Zhang in action from up close.

“I wanna see the ladies kick their b**t. I don’t how they are going to do it. But those guys are both amazing. I’ve known Lexi for a long time. I’m really looking to meet Rose.” Barkley is no stranger to the charity event, having won it even with Phil Mickelson in 2020. The Lefty and Barkley gave Stephen Curry & Peyton Manning a run for the money four years ago.

This year, however, Barkley wasn’t so lucky. Ahead of the actual ‘match’, the NBA Hall of Famer teed up against DJ Khaled for a par-3 challenge. The NBA icon had to accept defeat as the one-time Grammy winner beat him 2-1. 

The former NBA star is also famous for his verbal chops in the booth. Notably, the 61-year-old had an on-and-off verbal banter with Justin Thomas a few years ago. Interestingly, at that time too, Rory McIlroy was present on the greens, albeit with Tiger Woods. Barkley returned to the booth this year as well, as McIlroy, Homa, Zhang, and Thompson, battle it out under the floodlight.

What you need to know about ‘The Match’

Since the debut event in 2018 between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, ‘The Match’ has mostly paired NBA and NFL stars with Pro golfers for the event. In its ninth edition, though, it’s only professional golfers but unlike the past editions, it’s PGA Tour vs. LPGA Tour this time. 

Read More: How to Watch Capital One’s ‘The Match’: TV Schedule, Live Streaming, and More

Except for Rory McIlroy, it’s the debut for the rest three. For Zhang, it’s her first time sharing the greens with the Northern Irishman after turning professional. The Park, which went through a shakeup only 10 months ago, will play host to this one-of-a-kind event. As of the time the report went to publication, McIlroy and Homa are 4-up through the eighth hole.

Read More: Capital One’s ‘The Match’ 2024: Do LPGA & PGA Tour Pros Get Paid in the First Mixed-Gender Edition?