Boston Common Golf ends its winless streak in the TGL with an eagle on the final hole against 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, against the Los Angeles Golf Club. Last season, Boston Common Golf had failed to secure a single win in any TGL duel but finally broke 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 scheduling conflicts. The Los Angeles Golf Club also featured prominent players: Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala represented the Californian team.
TGL: Thorbjörnsen Decides Thriller with Eagle Putt
TGL rookie Michael Thorbjörnsen clinched the narrow match on the final hole with a 4.5-meter eagle putt, securing a 7:5 victory for Boston Common Golf. Rory McIlroy commented: “It took a long time, but Keegan and I finally won again,” adding, “Many good 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, featuring six birdies, two eagles, and points on seven holes, resulting in a 4:4 tie. On the 8th hole, Boston Common Golf gained two points after a hammer throw accepted by Los Angeles Golf Club and a resulting birdie, tactically closing a one-point deficit. The Los Angeles Golf Club’s point on the last triple hole was no threat.
The singles started evenly, but from the 12th hole, Boston Common Golf took the lead with an eagle putt by Thorbjörnsen. The next two holes ended tied despite hammer throws, making it 6:5 before the final hole. Even though a draw was possible, the 24-year-old confidently sank the last putt for eagle and sealed the win.
Thorbjörnsen was also the first TGL player to sink four putts from over three meters in one match, closing the gap to teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Bradley, significantly contributing to the full team victory at the Palm Beach State College campus.
Hammer Strategy Key to Success
Boston Common Golf’s victory was also thanks to a targeted hammer strategy, earning three extra points. “We follow a slightly different strategy for 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 defeated Los Angeles Golf Club team also commented after the match. “We had chances all day to pull away and build a lead, but it didn’t work out,” said Sahith Theegala. “The guys played great, and it’s a lot of fun to battle with them.”