Boston Common Golf ends its losing streak in TGL with an eagle on the final hole sealing victory over 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 their curse. The winning team consisted of McIlroy, 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 top players: Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala represented the California team.
TGL: Thorbjörnsen Decides Thriller with Eagle Putt
Only on the last hole did TGL rookie Michael Thorbjörnsen decide the tight match with a 4.5-meter eagle putt, securing a 7:5 win for Boston Common Golf. Rory McIlroy said, \”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 was back and forth. Definitely a lot of fun to play.\”
The match began with nine holes in the triple format, yielding six birdies, two eagles, and points on seven holes, resulting in a 4:4 tie. At the 8th hole, Boston Common Golf gained two points through a hammer throw accepted by Los Angeles Golf Club and the resulting birdie, closing the one-point deficit tactically. Even the point won by Los Angeles Golf Club on the last triple hole posed no threat.
The singles were initially balanced until Boston Common Golf took the lead from the 12th hole with an eagle putt by Michael Thorbjörnsen. The subsequent two holes ended in ties despite hammer throws, leaving Boston Common Golf ahead 6:5 before the final hole. Although a draw was still possible, 24-year-old Thorbjörnsen confidently sank the final putt for eagle, sealing the victory.
Thorbjörnsen was also the first TGL player to sink four putts from over three meters in a match, closing the gap to teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Keegan Bradley, contributing decisively to the full team win at the Palm Beach State College campus.
Hammer Strategy as the Key to Success
Boston Common Golf also secured their success thanks to a targeted hammer strategy, scoring three additional points. \”We follow a somewhat different strategy for accepting and throwing hammers, focusing more on data,\” explained Keegan Bradley. \”Sometimes you have to take risks with these hammers because they can completely change the game’s course.\”
The losing Los Angeles Golf Club team also commented after the match: \”We had good chances all day to pull ahead and gain a lead, but it didn’t work out,\” said Sahith Theegala. \”The guys played great, and it’s a lot of fun to compete with them