Boston Common Golf ends their drought in the TGL with an eagle on the final hole deciding the duel against Los Angeles Golf Club.
Rory McIlroy and his team Boston Common Golf shone for the first time on Saturday at the Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) at the SoFi Center in Palm Gardens Beach, Florida, against the Los Angeles Golf Club. In the previous season, Boston Common Golf had not won a single TGL duel but finally broke this curse. Alongside McIlroy, the winning team included American Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Michael Thorbjörnsen, who stepped in as a substitute for Australian Adam Scott and Japanese Hideki Matsuyama, both absent due to scheduling conflicts. The Los Angeles Golf Club also featured well-known players: Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala represented the California team.
TGL: Thorbjörnsen Decides Thriller with Eagle Putt
It was only on the final hole that TGL rookie Michael Thorbjörnsen secured the close duel with a 4.5-meter eagle putt, sealing a 7:5 victory for Boston Common Golf. Rory McIlroy commented, \”It took a long time for Keegan and me to finally win again,\” adding, \”Many good shots, many birdies and eagles, but also risky putts and close mistakes. It went back and forth. It was definitely fun to play.\”
The duel started again with nine holes in the triple format, featuring six birdies, two eagles, and points on seven holes, resulting in a 4:4 tie. On the 8th hole, Boston Common Golf gained two points through a hammer throw accepted by the Los Angeles Golf Club, leading to a birdie that erased a one-point deficit tactically. The Los Angeles Golf Club’s point on the last triple hole posed no further threat.
In the singles, the duel remained balanced until Boston Common Golf took the lead from the 12th hole via an eagle putt by Thorbjörnsen. The following two holes ended in draws despite using hammer throws, leaving the score at 6:5 for Boston Common Golf before the final hole. Though a draw was still possible, the 24-year-old Thorbjörnsen confidently sank the last putt for eagle to clinch the victory.
Thorbjörnsen was also the first TGL player to sink four putts from over three meters in a match, matching his teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Bradley, contributing decisively to the team’s full victory on the Palm Beach State College campus.
Hammer Strategy as Key to Success
Boston Common Golf’s success was also due to a targeted hammer strategy, earning three extra points. \”We take a somewhat different approach when accepting and throwing hammers. We rely more on data,\” explained Keegan Bradley. \”Sometimes you have to take risks with these hammers because they can completely change the course of the game.\”
The losing Los Angeles Golf Club team also commented, \”We had good chances all day to pull away and get a lead, but it didn’t work out,\” said Sahith Theegala. \”The guys played