TGL, a new tech-infused golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, teed off its inaugural season on Tuesday following more than a year delay.
The Bay Golf Club, comprised of Ludvig Åberg, Wyndham Clark and Shane Lowry, defeated New York GC, made up of Matt Fitzpatrick, Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele, 9-2 at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Each TGL match consists of 15 holes that are divided into two segments. The first session featured a 3-on-3 alternate-shot format known as ‘triples,” where three players from each team hit alternate shots across nine holes. In the final six holes, each golfer went head-to-head with a player from the opposing team in the “singles” phase of the competition.
Here is a full rundown of the best highlights and results from the TGL’s debut match.
TGL FORMAT: Rules, schedule, teams and everything to know about new golf league
Hole No. 15: Schauffele, Åberg tie
The final hole of the TGL match virtually took golfers to the Grand Canyon. Schauffele of New York GC narrowly missed a 32-foot chip shot to eagle and win hole No. 15 – a par-5, 729-yard hole. He rebounded with a five-foot birdie to tie the hole with Åberg.
Hole No. 14: Clark ties with Fitzpatrick
Clark nailed a 3-foot putt to tie hole No. 14 (par-3, 135 yards) vs. Fitzpatrick.
Hole No. 13: Fowler wins hole vs. Lowry
Fowler found his stride on hole No. 13 (par-4, 464 yards). He hit the fairway and green in two strokes and tapped in an easy putt to give New York GC its second point of the night. The Bay Golf Club is up 9-2.
Hole No. 12: Schauffele booed in head-to-head with Åberg
Schauffele of New York GC couldn’t get anything going on hole No. 12 (par-3, 200 yards). After a particularly rough shot that overshot the green completely, the crowd began to boo. ‘I would boo me too,’ said Schauffele, who conceded the hole to Åberg. Bay Golf Club now leads 9-1.
Hole No. 11: Clark defeats Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick of New York GC faced off against Clark of Bay Golf Club on hole No. 11 (par-4, 535 yards). Fitzpatrick had an opportunity to win New York GC’s second point of the night, but his eight-foot putt circled around the lip of the hole. The Bay Club is up 8-1.
Hole No. 10: Lowry wins first face-off vs. Fowler
The competition shifts to the ‘singles’ segment, where one player from each team goes head-to-head on each hole. Fowler of New York GC faced off against Lowry of Bay Golf Club on hole No. 10 (par-5, 616 yards).
Fowler incurred a one-stroke penalty after landing out of bounds on his first stroke. He was never able to recover.
Meanwhile, Lowry made quick work of hole No. 10. He landed in the rough on his first shot, found the fairway his next stroke and ended up on the green with his third shot. He attempted a 10-foot putt, but Fowler threw the flag down to disrupt his putt. The Bay Golf Club took the hole to go up 7-1 over New York GC and win the match.
Hole No. 9: New York GC finally on the board
New York GC entered hole No. 9 scoreless, but they had a little luck on their side. Fitzpatrick hit a chip shot that looked like it was going to end up in the rough, but the ball bounced back toward the green and ended up mere feet from the hole. New York GC picked up their first point and trail Bay Golf Club 6-1.
Hole No. 8: Tie
Both teams had an opportunity to take hole No. 8 (Par-4, 528-yard). Lowry of Bay Golf Club missed a 16-foot putt for birdie, while Fowler of New York GC narrowly missed a 16-foot chip shot for birdie. Both teams conceded the putt on the next stroke to tie the hole.
Hole No. 7: Bay Golf Club cashes in on hammer; up 6-0
We have another hammer. New York GC threw down the hammer flag ahead of hole No. 7 (par-3, 235-yard hole). Bay Golf Club took advantage and added to their total score after Åberg knocked down a five-foot putt to win the hole. They lead 6-0.
Hole No. 6: Tie
Both teams conceded putts to tie hole No. 6 (Par-4, 474 yards). Bay Golf Club still leads 5-0.
Hole No. 5: Åberg birdies to give Bay Golf Club point
Two strokes. That’s all the Bay Golf Club needed to win hole No. 5 (Par-3, 179 yards). New York GC was closing in on its first point, but Åberg nailed a 32-foot putt to birdie the hole. Bay Golf Club now leads 5-0.
Hole No. 4: Bay Golf Club 4, New York GC 0
The Bay Golf Club is rolling. The team, comprised of Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark and Ludvig Åberg, picked up their fourth-straight point on hole No. 4 — a Par-5, 582-yard hole named ‘Boomerang.’ Lowry drained a four-foot putt to win the hole. New York GC had an opportunity to get on the board, but Fowler missed a 10-foot putt to the right.
Hole No. 3: Bay Golf Club takes 3-0 lead
We have our first hammer! Wyndham Clark of Bay Golf Club threw a yellow hammer flag on hole No. 3 (Par-3, 188 yards) ahead of his putt, instantly doubling the value of the hole. No pressure, right? Although the stakes were high, Clark knocked down a seven-foot putt to give Bay Golf Club not one, but two points for an early 3-0 lead over New York GC.
Hole No. 2: Tie
Hole No. 2 — a Par-5, 590-yard hole called “Pick Yer Plunder” — ended with a tie after both teams conceded putts on the physical green. Fitzpatrick had an opportunity to win the hole for New York GC and tie the score, but he missed a 12-foot putt. Bay Golf Club leads 1-0.
Hole No. 1: Bay Golf Club takes first point
The Bay Golf Club teed off first on hole No. 1 — a Par-4, 377-yard hole called the “Plank.” Lowry led his team off with a 280-yard drive on the simulator screen. Clark landed the next shot on the green and Åberg putt the ball in on the physical green zone to give Bay Golf Club the first point over New York GC.
When is the TGL match between New York GC vs. Bay Golf Club?
The debut TGL match between the New York Golf Club and The Bay Golf Club is scheduled for Tuesday and tees off at 9 p.m. ET at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
How to watch the TGL match between New York GC vs. Bay Golf Club
The TGL match between the New York Golf Club and The Bay Golf Club will be televised nationally on ESPN with streaming available on ESPN+.
Live streaming is also available on Fubo, which has a free trial.
Watch TGL action with a Fubo subscription
TGL: New York GC vs. Bay Golf Club odds
The New York Golf Club are favorites to defeat The Bay Golf Club, according to BetMGM.
Odds as of Tuesday, Jan. 7
Moneyline: New York Golf Club (-125); The Bay Golf Club (+100)
TGL: New York GC vs. Bay Golf Club lineup
Here is the order for ‘triples,” the 3-on-3 alternate-shot format used for the first nine holes:
New York GC: Rickie Fowler, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele
The Bay Golf Club: Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark, Ludvig Åberg
In the “singles” phase of the competition, each golfer will go head-to-head with a player from the opposing team throughout the final six holes. Here’s the matchups:
TGL odds tournament winner
Boston Common Golf are favored to win the inaugural season, according to BetMGM. Here are the remaining odds for the season.
Boston Common Golf (+350)
Los Angeles Golf Club (+400)
New York Golf Club (+400)
The Bay Golf Club (+400)
Atlanta Drive GC (+450)
Jupiter Links Golf Club (+800)
TGL predictions: New York Golf Club vs. Bay Golf Club
Golfweek: New York GC to beat The Bay Golf Club
Riley Hamel writes, ‘It’s tough to be confident with a pick before seeing how these matches are going to work, but I think this league is perfect for guys like Rickie Fowler. Talk some trash, hit some shots, talk a little more. I’ll take the favorites this time around, New York Golf Club at -125.’
Covers.com: Bay Golf to win first match
Neil Parker writes, ‘Still, I like the underdog Bay Golf Club because I peg Ludvig Aberg, Wyndham Clark, and Shane Lowry right behind Schauffele and well ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick and Rickie Fowler.
‘Additionally, the gap between Schauffele and Aberg is slim, and Aberg and Clark just topped both Schauffele and Fitzpatrick in the Sentry. I also like the collected ball-striking prowess of the Bay Golf Club more over the past year.’
Sports Illustrated: The Bay GC to win season
Iain MacMillan writes, ‘Los Angeles GC and Boston Common GC have all four members of the team inside the top 50 in the world but both teams also sit atop the odds list with much shorter odds than we can get with The Bay GC at +460.
‘With alternate shot playing a significant role in the outcome of matches, I’d much rather bet a team with depth than one that’s top-heavy.’
What is TGL?
TGL stands for TMRW Golf League, a reference to TMRW Sports, the name of company that Woods, McIlroy and Mike McCarley founded to get the league and several other projects off the ground.
It is a new tech-infused golf league in partnership with the PGA Tour that’s designed to combine the latest in golf technology with in-person competition. It will include a shot clock, timeouts and both team and individual match play. — Steve Gardner
Is Tiger Woods playing TGL golf?
Yes. Woods’ TGR Ventures owns the Jupiter Links Golf Club and Woods is on the team roster along with Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner. — Mark Giannotto
TGL location
The tech-infused TGL will debut with a matchup between the New York Golf Club and the Bay Golf Club at the SoFi Center. This venue, which spans 250,000 square feet, is a state-of-the-art technology center located on the campus of Palm Beach State College. The new facility can accommodate around 1,500 fans across three golf courses. — Elizabeth Flores
TGL format: Rules for the inaugural season
Each TGL match is a competitive showcase of skill and strategy, consisting of two intense sessions. The first session is a nine-hole, 3-on-3 alternate-shot format known as ‘triples.’ In the second session, golfers compete in singles, going head-to-head over six holes, with each player playing two holes. A shot clock set to 40 seconds adds to the pressure, as any shot clock violation incurs a one-stroke penalty.
Each hole is worth one point. If the teams are tied at the end of regulation, the match will proceed to overtime. During overtime, players compete head-to-head, and the team that lands their shot closest to the pin will be declared the winner. — Elizabeth Flores
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