Phil Mickelson has described his clash with Tiger Woods in Capital One's "The Match" on Friday as a "win-win" and said losing the $9 million purse would serve as a thank you to his opponent for all he's done for his career. 

The golf superstars will meet at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas. Mickelson told ESPN's Scott van Pelt that while he doesn't believe his old rival Woods will win, he owes some payback for all the good publicity down the years:

Mickelson said:

"This is really a win-win for me, because if I'm able to win, I'm able to win a huge prize and it's great.

"But if I don't win, if Tiger wins, I feel like I've owed it to him over the course of our careers, what he's done for me, my family, the game of golf.

"Nobody's benefited more from the game personally than myself, and if he were able to somehow beat me—which I don't think will happen—but win that nine million, I feel as though he's deserving of it and it's my way of saying thank you. I don't see that playing out that way, but we'll see on Friday."

The one-off event will feature two of golf's biggest icons and will be broadcast on B/R Live.

Woods, 42, boasts 14 major championships to Mickelson's five and has taken the lion's share of victories in his past meetings against "Lefty."

The rivalry is alive and well on both sides too; Woods appeared on TNT's Inside the NBA and joked he's had a psychological edge over Mickelson as long as they've been opponents:

Both have won tournaments in 2018: Woods took the top prize at The Tour Championship in September, while Mickelson triumphed in March's World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship.

Woods also leads his opponent in PGA Tour wins—he has 80, almost double Mickelson's tally of 43—and yet the format of their one-day duel means either star could clinch victory at Shadow Creek.

The last major Mickelson won was The Open in 2013, while Woods hasn't taken one of golf's big four since the 2008 U.S. Open.

The latter has looked better since he underwent spinal fusion surgery in April 2017, and OddsShark marked Woods out as the betting favourite less than a week out from the event:

His return to the top of the sport this year has marked one of golf's greatest comebacks, and his win in The Tour Championship two months ago was an emotional one.

Both Woods and Mickelson discussed his bounce back from a difficult period, which included an arrest for driving under the influence in 2017, via PGA.com:

Neither star has lost the competitive edge in their older age, but this is one $9 million payday Mickelson says he wouldn't miss.