Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy will face off as captains in The Golf Channel Games on December 17, 2025. The primetime event will be staged under the lights at Trump National Golf Links and broadcast live on The Golf Channel and USA Network.The buzz around the event was also amplified in an Instagram post by Golf Channel on September 4. Three-time PGA Tour champion Johnson Wagner said the format is perfectly timed for fans (via the Golf Channel):“Strategy, the expediency of time, and the best players together has a chance to be really, really good. And let me add one last thing, Programming is an interesting thing, and I don’t profess to know more about it. But I know when programming works is when you find the needle that you can thread really, really well."And think about this, Wednesday, a week before Christmas, when you are decompressing from a weekend of NFL football and playoff NCAA football, and on a Wednesday night, we’re giving you golf under the light with Rory and Scottie. That’s threading the needle.”The caption written over the reel reads:"The Golf Channel Games will be MUST-WATCH TV!" View this post on Instagram Instagram PostGolfers will be tested across four different challenges: the Timed Drive Chip & Putt, the 14-Club Challenge, the Timed Shootout and the four-player alternate shot. Each format brings a unique test. The Timed Drive Chip & Putt is an individual contest with strict limits on drives, chips and putts.While the 14-Club Challenge forces teammates to share one bag, with each club allowed only once, the Timed Shootout spreads golfers across the tee, fairway and green, pushing them to complete holes against the clock. In the alternate shot format, teams rotate strokes, aiming to reach the pin in as few shots as possible.The night will close with the Captain’s Challenge, where Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will go head-to-head in a sequence of shots: long putts from 50 and 40 feet, a 50-yard pitch, a 100-yard wedge, plus bunker and greenside attempts. Victory will go to the captain who finishes with the closest proximity to the hole.Scottie Scheffler shares his views on “The Golf Channel Games” as Rory McIlroy backs the new formatSpeaking about the format, Scottie Scheffler welcomed the mix of challenges that the event will bring. He said it allows both him and Rory McIlroy to compete in a way that will capture fans’ attention.“The Golf Channel Games will be a great mix of skill, strategy, and pressure. This will be a brand-new way for the players and the fans to experience the game of golf. Everyone knows how competitive we are, and I think the Golf Channel Games will be an innovative competition that will engage the viewers,” Scheffler told NBC Sports.McIlroy also shared his excitement about the December contest. The Northern Irishman noted that the event comes at the right time for fans, giving them something fresh to enjoy after the traditional season ends. He welcomed the chance to compete in a format that challenges players in new ways while also entertaining the audience.