Boston Common Golf ends its dry spell in the TGL with an eagle on the final hole to beat 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. Last season, Boston Common Golf failed to win a single TGL match, 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 absent due to schedule 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 last hole did TGL rookie Michael Thorbjörnsen secure the close match with a 4.5-meter eagle putt, earning Boston Common Golf a 7:5 victory. Rory McIlroy commented, \”It took 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 was back and forth. Definitely fun to play.\”
The match started with nine holes in triple format, featuring six birdies, two eagles, and points on seven holes leading to a 4:4 score. On the 8th hole, Boston Common Golf secured two points thanks to a hammer throw accepted by the Los Angeles Golf Club and a resulting birdie, erasing their one-point deficit tactically. The Los Angeles Golf Club’s point on the last triple hole was no longer threatening.
The singles matches were initially even until Boston Common Golf took the lead from the 12th hole by a Michael Thorbjörnsen eagle putt. The next two holes ended in draws despite hammer throws, resulting in a 6:5 lead before the final hole. Although a draw was possible, 24-year-old Thorbjörnsen confidently sank the last putt for eagle, sealing the victory.
Thorbjörnsen was also the first TGL player to sink four putts over three meters in one match, bridging the gap to his teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Keegan Bradley, contributing decisively to the team win at the Palm Beach State College campus.
Hammer Strategy as the Key to Success
Boston Common Golf’s victory was also secured thanks to a targeted hammer strategy yielding three extra points. \”We follow a slightly different approach when 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 flow of the game.\”
The losing Los Angeles Golf Club team also spoke after the match. \”We had good chances all day to pull ahead and build a lead, but it didn’t work out,\” said Sahith Theegala. \”The guys played great, and it’s a lot of fun competing with them.\”