Boston Common Golf ends their dry spell in the TGL with an eagle on the final hole securing victory against Los Angeles Golf Club.
Rory McIlroy and his team Boston Common Golf shined on Saturday at the Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) at the SoFi Center in Palm Gardens Beach, Florida, defeating the Los Angeles Golf Club for their first win. Last season, Boston Common Golf failed to claim a single victory 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 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.
TGL: Thorbjörnsen Decides Thriller with Eagle Putt
Only on the final hole did TGL rookie Michael Thorbjörnsen sink a 4.5-meter eagle putt to clinch a narrow 7:5 victory for Boston Common Golf. 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 errors. It was back and forth. Definitely fun to play.”
The duel started with nine holes in the triple format, which featured six birdies, two eagles, and scoring on seven holes resulting in 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, erasing a one-point deficit. Even the Los Angeles Golf Club’s point on the final triple hole was no longer threatening.
The singles matches began evenly until Boston Common Golf took the lead at the 12th hole with an eagle putt by Thorbjörnsen. The next two holes ended in draws despite hammer throws, leaving Boston Common Golf ahead 6:5 going into the final hole. Although a draw was still possible, 24-year-old Thorbjörnsen confidently sank the final putt for eagle, securing the win.
Thorbjörnsen also became the first TGL player to make four putts from over three meters away in a single match, closing the gap to teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Bradley, contributing decisively to the team’s total victory on the Palm Beach State College campus.
Hammer Strategy Key to Success
Boston Common Golf’s success was also due to a targeted hammer strategy that earned three additional points. “Our approach to accepting and throwing hammers is somewhat different. We rely more on data,” explained Keegan Bradley. “Sometimes you have to take a risk with these hammers because they can completely change the course of the game.”
The defeated Los Angeles Golf Club team also commented, “We had good chances all day to pull away and create a lead, but it just didn’t happen,” said Sahith Theegala. “The guys played great, and it’s a lot of fun to compete with them.”