Boston Common Golf breaks its losing streak in the TGL – an eagle on the final hole decides the duel against Los Angeles Golf Club.
Rory McIlroy and his Boston Common Golf team shone for the first time on Saturday at the Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) at the SoFi Center in Palm Gardens Beach, Florida, defeating the Los Angeles Golf Club. After failing to win any matches last season, Boston Common Golf finally broke their curse. Alongside McIlroy, the winning team included American Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Michael Thorbjrnsen, 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 fielded top players: Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala.
TGL: Thorbjrnsen Decides Thriller with Eagle Putt
It was only on the final hole that TGL rookie Michael Thorbjrnsen sealed the tight match with a 4.5-meter eagle putt, securing a 7:5 victory for Boston Common Golf. Rory McIlroy said, ‘It took a long time 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, producing 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 directly through a hammer throw accepted by Los Angeles Golf Club and a resulting birdie, tactically recovering from a one-point deficit. The Los Angeles Golf Club’s point on the last hole of the triples no longer posed a threat.
The singles began evenly matched until Boston Common Golf took the lead starting at the 12th hole with an eagle putt by Thorbjrnsen. The next two holes ended in ties despite hammer throws, leaving a 6:5 lead for Boston Common Golf before the final hole. Although a draw was still possible, 24-year-old Thorbjrnsen confidently sank the last putt for eagle, clinching the win.
Thorbjrnsen was also the first TGL player to make four putts from beyond three meters in one match, closing the gap with his teammates and Ryder Cup rivals McIlroy and Bradley, contributing decisively to the team’s overall victory at the Palm Beach State College campus.
Hammer Strategy as Key to Success
Boston Common Golf also secured success thanks to a targeted hammer strategy yielding three additional points. ‘We pursue a somewhat different strategy in accepting and throwing hammers. We focus 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 losing Los Angeles Golf Club team also commented after the match. ‘We had good chances all day to pull away and gain a lead, but it just didn’t