Woods, McIlroy shine in anticipated TGL matchup

Tiger Woods ’ Jupiter Links GC beat Rory McIlroy ’s Boston Common Golf 4-3 in the latest TGL faceoff, and the stars “delivered the most entertaining and competitive match thus far.” The match showcased what the league “can be when all the necessary parts align.” The teams delivered a competitive match that saw “a ton of clutch putts holed,” PGA Tour player Tom Kim “ham it up for the crowd, and a formula for success appear.” TGL “needs to embrace the goofy nature of arena simulator golf” while showing that the “best players in the world care about the outcome of the match” ( GOLF, 1/27 ).

Last night's match gave the best example of "what competitive indoor golf feels like.” Woods and McIlroy made sure their teams “ended three weeks of beatdowns and finally gave TGL some drama” (PALM BEACH POST, 1/27). TGL appears to be “finding more of a rhythm from the broadcast perspective.” The match “felt faster” than previous iterations, with “fewer broadcaster interruptions and more cross-player chatter.” All six players “seemed more engaged in the competition than several of their colleagues on other teams.” The “key” for TGL “might well be getting players based on their likability and charisma rather than their World Golf ranking” (YAHOO SPORTS, 1/27).

Notable attendees last night included PGA Tour's Jay Monahan, International Golf Federation's Antony Scanlan, FSG's Tom Werner, Vikings' Mark and Lenny Wilf, Monumental Sports' Zach Leonsis, former Rogers Sports President Jordan Banks, Harlo Capital's Jeffrey Kimel, Dynasty Equity's Don Cornwell, ESPN's Tim Bunnell and John Suchenski, NBC's Jon Miller, NBC Sports Next's Will McIntosh, Apollo Global's Reggie Love, BlueCrest Capital's Marcus Platt, Left Lane Capital's Jason Fiedler, Heat minority owner Greg Mazlin, Baseball HOFer David Ortiz and Angels CF Mike Trout (SBJ).