Despite an arduous battle throughout the TGL season, Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common team fell short of their playoff ambitions, succumbing to New York GC in a nail-biting encounter that brought their season to a premature end. The defeat also extinguished the remaining glimmers of hope for both McIlroy and fellow golfer Tiger Woods.
Rounding off the regular season without a single victory, Boston Common (0-4-1) witnessed New York (2-2-1) clinch the 4th playoff position. Despite their valiant efforts, including a much-needed win over New York, Boston was unable to bridge the gap in total holes won, resulting in their elimination from the playoffs.
Reflecting on their season and the decisive match against New York GC, team member Adam Scott admitted the disappointment of defeat. “Anytime you have a loss, it’s disappointing,” he confessed during the post-round press conference.
Despite the setback, Boston Common, featuring golfing luminaries such as Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, and Adam Scott, displayed a tenacious spirit. They seized momentum by winning a Hammer on the third hole after a draw on the second, giving them a surge of confidence.
However, their elation was short-lived as New York GC swiftly countered, securing victories on the subsequent two holes and the 8th. Boston managed to claw back a point on the final hole of the TGL’s Triples format, though, winning another Hammer for two points.
The next phase of the match, from holes 10 to 15, saw a shift to the Singles format. A head-to-head clash between McIlroy and New York’s Cameron Young on holes 10 and 13 ended in a draw, with each winning one hole. Similarly, Keegan Bradley and Rickie Fowler also faced off, resulting in Bradley clinching the 11th hole, but the pair drawing on the 14th.
The real game-changer, however, was Xander Schauffele of New York, who delivered an astonishing performance on the 12th and 15th holes. Using the Hammer to his advantage, Schauffele defeated Adam Scott on both holes, earning his team a crucial 4 points and leading them to victory. Reflecting on his team’s performance, Schauffele observed, “I felt like we were a little unlucky overall on the season. I felt like we played better than our results.”
Despite their disappointing season, McIlroy’s team is far from defeated, with the Northern Irish golf star expressing his desire to return to the TGL. Responding to criticism around the league’s technology, McIlroy remained optimistic, expressing his eagerness to “run it back next year.”
With the TGL playoffs commencing on March 17 and 18, followed by the finals on March 24, McIlroy and his team will have ample time to regroup and strategize for the upcoming season, which kicks off in January 2026. McIlroy is hopeful that come January, fans will be eagerly awaiting the new season.
Only time will tell if McIlroy’s team can bounce back and redeem themselves next year. Until then, the golf world waits in anticipation.