Boston Common Golf ends its losing streak in the TGL with an eagle on the final hole to defeat the 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, defeating the Los Angeles Golf Club. Last season, Boston Common Golf had not won a single TGL duel, finally breaking that curse. Alongside McIlroy, the winning team included American Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Michael Thorbjörnsen, who stepped in as a replacement for Australian Adam Scott and Japanese Hideki Matsuyama, both absent due to scheduling conflicts. The Los Angeles Golf Club also fielded prominent players: Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala.
TGL: Thorbjörnsen Decides Thriller with Eagle Putt
Only on the final hole did TGL rookie Michael Thorbjörnsen secure the narrow duel with a 4.5-meter eagle putt, giving Boston Common Golf a 7-5 victory. Rory McIlroy commented, \”It took a long time, but Keegan and I finally won again,\” adding, \”Many good shots, lots of birdies and eagles, but also risky putts and close mistakes. It went back and forth. Definitely great fun to play.\”
The duel began with nine holes in the triple format, featuring six birdies, two eagles, and points on seven holes leading to a 4-4 tie. On the 8th hole, Boston Common Golf secured two points through a hammer throw accepted by the Los Angeles Golf Club and a resulting birdie, tactically erasing a one-point deficit. The Los Angeles Golf Club’s point on the last triple hole was no longer threatening.
In the singles, the match was initially equal 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, so before the final hole it was 6-5 for Boston Common Golf. Although a tie was possible, the 24-year-old Thorbjörnsen confidently sank the last putt for eagle, sealing the win.
Thorbjörnsen also became the first TGL player to make four putts from over three meters in one match, closing the gap to teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Bradley, contributing decisively to the team’s complete victory on the Palm Beach State College campus.
Hammer Strategy Key to Success
Boston Common Golf secured victory thanks to a targeted hammer strategy, yielding three additional points. \”We take a slightly different approach to accepting and throwing hammers, relying more on data,\” explained Keegan Bradley. \”Sometimes you have to take a risk with these hammers because they can completely change the course of play.\”
The losing Los Angeles Golf Club team also commented: \”We had good chances all day to break away and build a lead, but it didn’t happen,\” said Sahith Theegala. \”The guys played great, and it’s a lot of fun to compete with them.\”