Boston Common Golf ends its drought in the TGL – an eagle on the final hole decides the duel 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 failed to secure a single victory in any TGL matchup, finally breaking this 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 unable to participate due to scheduling conflicts. The Los Angeles Golf Club also fielded prominent players: Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala represented the California team.
TGL: Thorbjörnsen Decides Thriller with Eagle Putt
Only on the final hole did TGL rookie Michael Thorbjörnsen clinch the tight duel with a 4.5-meter eagle putt, securing a 7:5 victory for Boston Common Golf. Rory McIlroy remarked, \”It has taken a long time for Keegan and me to finally win again,\” adding, \”Many great shots, many birdies and eagles, but also risky putts and close mistakes. It went back and forth. It was definitely fun to play.\”
The match began with nine holes in the triple format, resulting in six birdies, two eagles, and points on seven holes leading to a 4:4 tie. On the 8th hole, Boston Common Golf earned two points through a hammer throw accepted by Los Angeles Golf Club and a resulting birdie, bridging a one-point deficit tactically. The point earned by Los Angeles Golf Club on the last triple hole no longer posed a threat.
In the singles, the duel was initially balanced until Boston Common Golf took the lead from the 12th hole following Thorbjörnsen’s eagle putt. The next two holes ended in draws despite hammer throws, making the score 6:5 before the final hole. Although a draw was still possible, the 24-year-old Thorbjörnsen confidently sank the final putt for eagle, clinching the victory.
Thorbjörnsen was also the first TGL player to sink four putts from over three meters in a match, closing the gap to his teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Keegan Bradley, contributing decisively to the team’s complete win on the Palm Beach State College campus.
Hammer Strategy as Key to Success
Boston Common Golf secured the win also thanks to a targeted hammer strategy, yielding three additional points. \”We pursue a slightly different strategy 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 reflected after the match. \”We had good chances all day to pull away and build a lead, but it didn’t work,\” said Sahith