Atlanta Drive GC staged an unlikely comeback from a steep deficit to win the inaugural TGL championship in style, 4-3 over New York Golf Club on Tuesday night in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
After failing to win any of the first 11 holes and falling behind 3-0, a combination of precise execution and good tactical use of the “hammer” propelled Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel and Patrick Cantlay to victory.
Horschel sank a critical 17-foot double-breaking putt at the 14th to collect two points and pull Atlanta into the lead, before teammate Cantlay iced it with a deft pitch shot stone dead at the final hole.
The winners split a purse of $9 million, with New York receiving half that amount.
“I said it multiple times: It’s my … house,” Horschel said. “This is something different than what we play every week. We want to entertain; that’s what this is about. It’s been great to be with all three of these guys.”
Atlanta won the first match of the best-of-three series on Monday, which left the New York team of Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler and Cameron Young needing to sweep both scheduled matches on Tuesday.
“We did not want to go to another match. We’re all just thrilled that we’re not playing right now,” Horschel said.
Added Thomas of the season overall: “It’s completely exceeded my expectations. The competitiveness, once the playoffs got here, it was not chippy, but it was competitive. We wanted to win.”
For so long it looked like New York would take it to a Game 3, as Atlanta could not buy a putt and the Big Apple team cruised to an almost but not quite insurmountable lead.
In front of a raucous crowd at the indoor arena, there was even a moment of controversy as Schauffele threw the hammer, an orange towel, just as Thomas was about to place his second hand on the putter grip for an 11-foot putt at the eighth hole.
Under the rules, once the player has addressed the ball it’s too late for the hammer, but the rules official deemed Thomas did not have both hands on the putter, so the hammer stood.
Atlanta declined to accept it and Thomas conceded the hole without putting, which gave New York one point to go 2-0 up.
The lead did not last.
Lamented New York’s Young: “The short game in here is what wins you matches, and unfortunately we just didn’t have anything go in tonight.”
–Field Level Media
