Boston Common Golf ends its 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 on Saturday at the Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) at the SoFi Center in Palm Gardens Beach, Florida, defeating the Los Angeles Golf Club for the first time. Boston Common Golf had not won a single TGL match in the previous season, finally breaking their losing streak. Alongside McIlroy, the winning team featured American Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Michael Thorbjörnsen, who stepped in as a substitute for Australians Adam Scott and Japanese Hideki Matsuyama, both absent due to scheduling conflicts. The Los Angeles Golf Club also fielded prominent players, including Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala.
TGL: Thorbjörnsen Decides Thriller with Eagle Putt
It was only on the final hole that TGL rookie Michael Thorbjörnsen sealed the tight contest with a 4.5-meter eagle putt, securing a 7-5 win for Boston Common Golf. Rory McIlroy commented, \”It’s taken a while for Keegan and me to finally win again,\” adding, \”Many great shots, many birdies and eagles, but also risky putts and narrow misses. It was back and forth and definitely fun to play.\”
The match started 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 earned two points through a hammer throw accepted by the Los Angeles Golf Club and a resulting birdie, tactically closing a one-point deficit. The point gained by Los Angeles on the last triple hole no longer posed a threat.
The singles matches were initially balanced before Boston Common Golf took the lead with an eagle putt by Thorbjörnsen on the 12th hole. The next two holes ended in draws despite hammer throws, leaving Boston Common Golf ahead 6-5 before the final hole. Although a tie was possible, the 24-year-old Thorbjörnsen confidently sank the last putt for eagle to clinch the victory.
Thorbjörnsen also made history as the first TGL player to sink four putts from over three meters in a single match, closing the gap with his teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Bradley, playing a key role in the team’s complete victory at the Palm Beach State College campus.
Hammer Strategy as the Key to Success
Boston Common Golf also secured the win thanks to a targeted hammer strategy, scoring three additional points. \”We have a slightly different approach to 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 course of the game.\”
Despite their loss, the Los Angeles Golf Club team expressed positive sentiments 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