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McIlroy PUMPED after clutch Scott putt | 00:42
TGL enjoyed its best night yet with Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links Golf Club picking up an overtime victory against Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common Golf in the most absorbing match so far of the new indoor golf league.
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It was the first time a TGL clash has gone to overtime, where a closest to the pin challenge decides the winner, and 22-year-old Tom Kim turned out to be the star of the show despite all eyes being on co-founders Woods and McIlroy.
The rivalry between the two superstars delivered a superb moment when on their second singles hole, the Northern Irishman of Boston Common Golf threw down the hammer, which makes the hole worth double points, to put the pressure on the 15-time major champion’s near eight foot par putt which he coolly rolled in.
That kept Jupiter Links in the lead at 3-2 before Adam Scott came up clutch at the penultimate hole to level the scores.
The Australian hit the green on the par 3 where he was taking on Kevin Kisner in singles, but left himself 31 feet for birdie, not that that distance was an issue.
Scott putted up a steep ridge and the ball trickled down the slope, and never looked like missing as he and Boston Common teammate Kegan Bradeley let out a huge celebration.
Kim was the box office attraction however, as he almost holed out from the bunker at the final hole to win the match but it agonisingly rolled by the cup to send the match to overtime.
He then stuck one close to the pin with his first shot in the deciding contest to set up the win.
It was fitting that the Korean was the man of the moment as he almost single-handedly kept Jupiter Links in the contest for much of the night.
Kim holed three pressure putts in the nine holes of triples, an alternate shot format, to tie those holes and he let out massive celebrations reminiscent of his pumped-up scenes at last year’s Presidents Cup.
In his singles match against US Ryder Cup captain Bradley, Kim almost became the first player to get a hole-in-one in TGL with a remarkable tee shot from 135 yards that flew past the flag and teased the Korean as it fed back towards the cup.
Scott can probably claim bragging rights over his Presidents Cup teammate however, with his shot into the green on the par 5 called Sidewinder from 235 yards arguably trumping Kim’s effort for the title of shot of TGL so far.
Scott, who played his first two tee shots to the sounds of Men at Work’s ‘Down Under’ and INXS’ ‘Never Tear Us Apart’, almost holed the second shot for what would have been the first albatross in TGL history.
The 44-year-old’s shot into the green landed right by the cup, and had teammates McIlroy and Bradley in disbelief.
The stars lined-up to witness Woods taking on McIlroy with golf-loving singers Noah Kahan and Niall Horan, who are both investors in TGL, among the plethora of big names in the stands and they did get to witness some more TGL firsts.
Remarkably, Woods became the first player to lose a hole due to a shot clock violation with the 40-second buzzer going off as he stood over a putt to try tie his first singles hole against McIlroy.
Earlier, he had another surprising moment when he left a shot in the bunker to hand Boston Common their first point of the night.
Woods’ blunder came after a hole earlier, Jupiter Links Golf Club teammate Kevin Kisner was left stunned as he duffed a putt from off the green.
Hilariously, Woods’ disappointing moments came after he called out to his mother, Kultida, in the crowd and told her he was ‘not gonna suck tonight’ after Woods’ team who were thrashed in their opening match a fortnight ago by Sahith Theegala, Justin Rose and Collin Morikawa of Los Angeles Golf Club.
They came out more fired up as they kicked off their second match by rubbing into McIlroy after he missed a par putt on the first hole, and the inclusion of Kim for the first time made a world of difference.
Kisner in particular struggled early with the duffed putt coming after he bladed a bunker shot two weeks ago that would have rocketed into the crowd, if not for hitting the flag.
An errant shot into the simulator also prompted the American to say that he is “quitting TGL” if he “hit it into the water one more time”.
But the highs and low made the affair all the more enjoyable for fans.
The right balance of competitiveness and banter was applauded on social media by many of golf’s most prominent social media accounts.
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PREVIEW
TGL’s co-founders Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy will go head-to-head in a mouth-watering singles clash, while Australian Adam Scott makes his debut in the indoor golf league’s biggest night yet.
Woods and his Jupiter Links Golf Club hit the SoFi Centre for the first time a fortnight ago, but this match will be McIlroy, Scott and their team Boston Common Golf’s unveiling.
It is obviously a huge moment with Woods and McIlroy facing off, but it is also a very symbolic moment for Scott and his standing within the PGA Tour and LIV Golf rivalry.
The 2013 Masters champion was has heavily linked with a switch to LIV back in 2022 courtesy of his close relationship with CEO Greg Norman, and the rumour mill went into over drive again late last year with reports of Scott jumping ship after a resurgent season on the PGA Tour where he charged through the FedEx Cup playoffs.
But Scott has remained loyal to the PGA Tour, he has even served as a player director in recent years, with his commitment to chasing a second major title a key motivator.
The 44-year-old has not missed a major since the 2001 British Open and is not willingly to jeopardise that streak, which is the longest of any active player.
But his involvement in TGL, is also a sign of his belief in the impact the innovative, simulator golf league can have on the game.
Scott and his family live in Switzerland, so showing up in Florida is not as simple as popping around the corner as it is for many of the PGA Tour’s finest who make up the six teams.
Among those on Tour, Scott is known for his quick wit and it will be fascinating to witness how that shines through while wearing a microphone.
