Boston Common Golf ends its drought in the TGL with an eagle on the final hole securing a win against Los Angeles Golf Club.
Rory McIlroy and his team Boston Common Golf shone for the first time on Saturday in the Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) at the SoFi Center in Palm Gardens Beach, Florida, defeating the Los Angeles Golf Club. In the previous season, Boston Common Golf had not recorded a single victory in any TGL duel but finally broke that streak. 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 fielded prominent players, with Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala representing the Californian team.
TGL: Thorbjörnsen Decides Thriller with Eagle Putt
It was only on the final hole that TGL rookie Michael Thorbjörnsen clinched the tight match with a 4.5-meter eagle putt, securing a 7-5 victory for Boston Common Golf. Rory McIlroy commented, \”It has taken a long time for Keegan and me to finally win again,\” adding, \”Lots of great shots, many birdies and eagles, but also risky putts and close misses. It was back and forth, and definitely a lot of fun to play.\”
The match began with nine holes in the triple format, producing six birdies, two eagles, and scoring on seven holes to reach a 4-4 tie. On the 8th hole, Boston Common Golf earned two points with a hammer throw accepted by Los Angeles Golf Club and a resulting birdie, erasing a one-point deficit. The point gained by Los Angeles Golf Club on the last hole of the triples phase posed no further threat.
During the singles, the match remained balanced until Boston Common Golf took the lead at the 12th hole with an eagle putt by Thorbjörnsen. The next two holes ended in draws despite hammer throws, setting the score at 6-5 before the final hole. Although a draw was still possible, the 24-year-old Thorbjörnsen confidently sank the last putt for eagle, sealing the victory.
Thorbjörnsen also became the first TGL player to make four putts from over three meters in a single match, closing the gap with teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Bradley, significantly contributing to the full team victory at Palm Beach State College’s campus.
Hammer Strategy as Key to Success
Boston Common Golf’s victory was also secured thanks to a targeted hammer strategy, which accounted for three additional points. \”We follow a slightly different strategy when accepting and throwing hammers, relying 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.\”
Members of the defeated Los Angeles Golf Club team commented after the match: “We had good chances throughout the day to take the lead and build a margin, but it didn