Boston Common Golf breaks their 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 Saturday at 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 won a single TGL duel, finally breaking 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 featured notable players: Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala represented the Californian side.
TGL: Thorbjörnsen Decides Thriller with Eagle Putt
Only on the final hole did TGL rookie Michael Thorbjörnsen secure the tight match with a 4.5-meter eagle putt, granting Boston Common Golf a 7:5 victory. Rory McIlroy commented, \”It’s been a long wait 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. Definitely fun to play.\”
The duel started again 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 secured two points through a hammer throw accepted by the Los Angeles Golf Club and a resulting birdie, tactically overcoming the one-point deficit. The Los Angeles Golf Club’s point gain on the last triple hole posed no threat.
The singles began balanced until Boston Common Golf took the lead from the 12th hole thanks to Thorbjörnsen’s eagle putt. The next two holes ended in draws despite hammer throws, leaving Boston Common Golf ahead 6:5 before the final hole. Although a draw was possible, the 24-year-old Thorbjörnsen confidently sank the final putt for eagle, clinching the win.
Thorbjörnsen was also the first TGL player to sink four putts over three meters in a single match, closing the gap to teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Keegan 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 also secured victory thanks to a focused hammer strategy, earning three extra points. \”We follow a somewhat 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.\”
The defeated Los Angeles Golf Club team also reflected post-match. \”We had good chances all day to 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