The two superstars, who co-founded the high-tech contest, will have been looking for lift-off after three earlier matches that perhaps didn’t quite capture the imagination not helped by none of them being particularly close affairs.
The fact that 15-time Major winner Woods was up against McIlroy, who has four Major titles, certainly whetted the appetite, but what the new League really craved was a nip-and-tuck match with the result in the balance until the very end.
It delivered. Despite the pre-match odds heavily favoring a Boston Common Golf win in its TGL debut, particularly after Woods’ outfit lost 12-1 in its first outing, there was never more than one point in it throughout.
First OT is in the books. pic.twitter.com/CEvNu7wlyMJanuary 28, 2025
After two close opening holes of the Triples section, it was McIlroy’s team who struck first. After Woods made a mess of a shot from a greenside bunker, it prompted Boston Common to throw The Hammer. That upped the ante, doubling the value of the hole to two points from one. Woods’ team had the option to concede the hole and only lose one point, which it did.
If the expectation was McIlroy’s team would run away with it at that point, it didn’t happen. The next two holes were tied, with Jupiter Links sending out a warning by making its first TGL birdie in the first of them, before it won the sixth hole after the luxury of having two putts to win it once Boston’s Keegan Bradley had hit his tee shot out of bounds.
Rory McIlroy made his first TGL appearance for Boston Common
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Then, on the final hole of the Triples session, Boston looked to turn the screw. After throwing The Hammer, Jupiter Links’ Kevin Kisner faced a tricky putt to tie the hole. He held his nerve and, after another tie on the ninth, we headed to the final six holes of Singles with the score at 1-1.
McIlroy and Woods went head-to-head as the Singles session began, but needing an eight-foot putt for birdie, Woods incurred a shot clock violation to concede the hole.
Once again, Jupiter Links hit back. On the next hole, Boston Golf’s Adam Scott failed to get his third shot onto the green of the par-4 with his chip, leading Jupiter Links to throw The Hammer. Boston Golf conceded the hole and the score became 2-2.
Tom Kim then came agonizingly close to the TGL’s first ace on the 12th, landing within two feet of the hole. That was enough to see Jupiter Links take a 3-2 lead after Keegan Bradley missed right from 22 feet.
On the penultimate hole, Boston Common then responded when Scott drained a 31-foot putt for birdie that ultimately brought the match back level. The 15th hole was then tied and took the match to the first-ever TGL overtime.
Adam Scott, never a doubt. 📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/pTJMRJyXOsJanuary 28, 2025
That saw the teams playing a best-of-three, closest-to-the-pin competition. Bradley went first for Boston and while he hit the green, it stopped 26 feet 6in from the hole. Kim then got his closer for Jupiter Links to give his team a 1-0 overtime lead.
It's @JupiterLinksGC! What. A. Night. pic.twitter.com/8s3zrt4N0hJanuary 28, 2025
Next up was Kisner for Jupiter, who landed it to around 14 feet from the hole. That placed the pressure on Scott to keep Boston Common in it. Agonizingly, his effort hit a ridge on the green, rolled back enough to be further than Kisner’s and Jupiter Links had its first-ever TGL victory.
Afterwards, Woods admitted his team had been more ready for its second TGL match, saying: "Well, it was definitely different than when we first played. Lesson was learned the hard way. We came in here more prepared."
Meanwhile, despite coming second to Woods, McIlroy was full of admiration for his rival. He said: "It's amazing to go up and to compete against one of your heroes. I've shared the course with him many times, and I've been in a couple of final groups with him, and he has just as much intensity out there tonight as he does when he's trying to win a major championship or trying to finish off a golf tournament. He was feeling it out there, and it was really cool to see."
JUPITER LINKS GC vs BOSTON COMMON GOLF SCORECARD
Hole 1: TIED
Hole 2: TIED
Hole 3: Boston Common GC WIN
Hole 4: TIED
Hole 5: TIED
Hole 6: Jupiter Links GC WIN
Hole 7: TIED
Hole 8: TIED
Hole 9: TIED
Hole 10: Boston Common Golf WIN
Hole 11: Jupiter Links GC WIN
Hole 12: Jupiter Links GC WIN
Hole 13: TIED
Hole 14: Boston Common Golf WIN
Hole 15: TIED
Overall Score: 4 - 3 (Jupiter Links wins in overtime)
Swipe to scroll horizontally
JUPITER LINKS VS BOSTON COMMON LINE-UPS:
Jupiter Links
Boston Common
Tiger Woods
Rory McIlroy
Kevin Kisner
Adam Scott
Tom Kim
Keegan Bradley
Refresh
GOOD EVENING ALL
Hello all, and welcome to Golf Monthly's live coverage of the fourth TGL match, this week between Tiger Woods' Jupiter Links GC and Rory McIlroy's Boston Common Golf.
The appearance of those two huge names alone is enough to make this week's contest arguably the most anticipated of the season so far. I'll be covering the action throughout the evening as it happens, and it's due to begin in the next half an hour or so.
BOSTON COMMON HEAVILY FAVOURED
The odds are out for the match and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Rory McIlroy's Boston Common are fancied to win. Jupiter Links are +175 against Boston Common's -225.
Odds are out for tonight's match. 🤑 pic.twitter.com/mvZy0K8i1kJanuary 27, 2025
BOSTON COMMON SET FOR GLORY?
The odds suggest a Boston Common win, and it's perhaps not hard to see why.
While Jupiter Links’ line-up can’t be dismissed, it’d surely take a brave person to back them rather than Boston Common Golf tonight.
One look at the current world rankings tells its own story. Rory McIlroy is third, Keegan Bradley is up to 11th and Adam Scott is 21st having been outside the world’s top 50 just six months ago. In contrast, Jupiter’s Kisner is 846th, Woods is 1164th and only Kim is 24th, still three spots lower than Boston Golf’s lowest-ranked player.
THE LINE-UPS...
We're going to be getting started shortly, but here's a reminder of the line-ups...
Did we mention it's Tiger vs Rory (1v1) this week? 🤩 pic.twitter.com/1DD7iZSovhJanuary 27, 2025
QUICK RECAP OF THE FORMAT…
The teams are out - here's a quick recap of the format. The action will play out over 15 holes. the opening nine holes will see each team compete in an alternate shot format before they face an opponent over two holes through the remaining six holes of singles.
Woods and McIlroy will be the first two to tee it up for their respective teams.
THE STORY SO FAR…
This week’s dust-up between Woods’ Jupiter Links and McIlroy’s Boston Common is arguably the biggest fixture of the inaugural season. Could this be the week TGL really takes off after a steady if perhaps unspectacular start? That subdued opening is partly down to the yawning gaps in the scorelines so far.
The Bay beat New York 9-2 in the first match, with Jupiter Links then on the end of a 12-1 pasting against Los Angeles the week after. Last week was closer, but Atlanta Drive still ran out 4-0 winners over New York. Let’s hope for a tighter contest here.
HOLE INFO
TGL has 30 custom-designed holes, but only 15 can be used any given week. This week, the action will get underway at 'Flex', a 516-yard par-4 hole, with - almost inevitably - Woods and McIlroy getting things underway for their respective teams. The evening concludes at the par-5 Pin Oak. We should be underway within a few minutes...
UP AND RUNNING!
"Boys, play well," encourages Rory as he prepares to get things underway. Its a confident start from the four-time Major winner as he comfortably finds the fairway.
Next up, it's Tiger. That's decent too.
We're up and running with the fourth week of TGL!
ALL SQUARE AT THE FIRST
With 208 yards to the hole, Boston Common's Adam Scott immediately shakes his head. It's not happy as it drifts left of the green, but it's safe enough from the hole's... lava. Yes, really!
How will Kevin Kisner respond for Jupiter Links? Not great, in truth, as it lacks the distance. He's fallen short of the green.
A nice chip from Boston Common's Keegan Bradley then lands not too far from the hole, before Tom Kim - who could really bring some fun to this format - recovers similarly for Jupiter Links. Both teams have a putt for par.
Tiger's first up with seven feet to go... with the clock counting down (he's allowed 40 seconds) he misses! Now Boston Common throw The Hammer (which doubles the points total - they sense blood early).
Can Rory finish the job? He can't either! We're 0-0 after the first hole.
Hammer dropped early tonight. pic.twitter.com/qPbnkvn4CWJanuary 28, 2025
ONTO A PAR-5
We're onto the 602-yard Bonnie Link next. No prizes for guessing the kind of layout we have here.
Adam Scott is first to go for Boston and there's no drama as he finds the fairway. Now it's Kevin Kisner for Jupiter, who lets one fly too.
FIRST BLOOD TO BOSTON!
We're now at the 205-yard par-3 Oh Chute. Keegan Bradley - sporting his recently grown moustache - for Boston, is first. He narrowly misses a bunker after bouncing out of one.
Now it's Tom Kim, who, with no such luck, finds the sand. Tiger then makes a hash of his effort to get it out onto the green. Oh Chute indeed.
Now The Hammer is back, this time thrown by Boston! Jupiter concedes the hole after clearly not fancying the very real prospect of going 2-0 down, and it's 1-0 to Boston instead.
ANOTHER TIE AT THE FIFTH
A 184-yard par-3 effort at the fifth, but Adam Scott is left rolling his eyes up to the arena's roof after hitting a ridge and failing to find the green.
Now it's Kisner for Jupiter. He's found the back of the green and he'll be happy enough with that. Or will he? "It's impossible!" he shouts with his arms round the back of his head, as the ball fails to roll back.
Now Keegan Bradley has 23 feet for birdie. There's much debate about how to approach this. Here's why: it heads over a ridge and speeds past the hole.
That tempts Jupiter to throw The Hammer. They're 18 feet from glory and the lead with Tom Kim doing the honors. It's nice, but drifts a little right.
Now McIlroy to tie the hole from five feet, and makes no mistake.
JUPITER FIGHT BACK!
Now it's onto the par-4 Blue Bonnet - a par-4 312-yard layout. Drivable. Keegan Bradley goes first but is very wayward. That's out of bounds. Tom Kim fares better for Jupiter, landing just short of the green. Rory's recovery for Boston isn't great, leaving 23 feet to save par.
Tiger is just off the green and the chip looks nice to leave 11 feet for birdie.
Adam Scott to save par for Boston... it's not to be. It means Jupiter has two to win the hole. After the first, Rory concedes and it's 1-1.
NOTHING BETWEEN THEM GOING INTO THE EIGHTH!
Jupiter is next up at the 172-par 3 seventh and Tiger finds the back of the green. How will Rory respond? Not bad at all. He leaves it 15 feet for a birdie.
Scott then places his putt left leaving Tom Kim to tie things from nine feet. In it goes. We have a close match here!
QUICK TURNAROUND FOR PLAYERS
As the players take a break before the Singles section, it's worth nothing that for four of tonight’s six players, there’s a quick turnaround. Tom Kim, Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley and Adam Scott are all in the field for the Pebble Beach Pro-Am later in the week.
SINGLES BEGINS WITH TIGER AND RORY
We're at the 586-yard 19th as Tiger gets the Singles section started. He puts everything into it and sends it 319 yards. Rory's next and he's on the fairway too - 325 yards for him.
Tiger's second then lands nicely on the green to leave an eagle putt. How will Rory respond? With 265 yards to go, it's a similar outcome.
Tiger now has 30 feet for eagle. Up over the ridge it goes, but it's right and too fast. McIlroy has a 20-foot eagle putt. Can he do any better? It's better, but heads left.
Tiger now has eight feet for birdie. He's getting advice from Kisner who says, "Knock it in, man."
He not only fails with that suggestion, it's a shot clock violation and it's a costly error from Tiger as it costs Jupiter Links the hole!
Like Tiger's first TGL appearance, Tiger's son Charlie is cheering him on, by the way. He'll need everything he can get from him after that.
A COSTLY ERROR FROM ADAM SCOTT HANDS THE 11TH TO JUPITER LINKS!
Onto the 391-yard 11th, and Adam Scott finds the fairway. He's up against Kisner here, who reaches the top plateau of the fairway.
Kisner has 176 yards to go with his second. It looks OK, until it hits a ridge on the green and drifts towards the edge of the green. Now for Adam Scott's second with 131 yards to go. "Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, sit!" comes the call. The plea goes unheeded, but at least it stays out of the bunker.
Kisner's facing about 26 feet for birdie from the back of the green. Lovely pace on it, but it goes right. Now Adam Scott chips, but it doesn't even reach the green and almost rolls back into the bunker he was stood in!
The Hammer inevitably is thrown again and McIlroy wisely rejects it to concede the hole. It's 2-2 and we have a proper match here!
ADVANTAGE JUPITER!
We're on the 535-yard 13th and Tiger is fired up. He sends it 327 yards with his tee shot. McIlroy responds by hitting his two yards further. Tiger has 183 yards to go. He watches it closely and grimaces as it misses the green left. With 181 yards for McIlroy, he pleads: "Get on the green." No such luck. It finds a bunker.
They're both on the green with their third shots. McIlroy makes par from nearly nine feet and The Hammer's thrown by the team. Jupiter accepts it. Tiger has seven feet to tie the hole. It circles the cup before dropping in! Advantage Jupiter as it has The Hammer back in its possession!
MAGICAL FROM ADAM SCOTT!
It's the par-3 Set In Stone now, with Kisner to go first for Jupiter. He's got a cautious eye on it, wondering if it's bound for the bunker beyond the green. He needn't worry as it lands nicely on the putting surface.
Next is Adam Scott for Boston and that's fine, too, finding the green with no issues. He faces a 31-foot putt for birdie. Oh my word! He's done it! Just when it looked like Jupiter had the match in its grasp, he's given Boston a heck of a chance of drawing level.
Next it's Kisner, who has 30 feet to go. It'll need something special. It's so close, but just right. Now we're at 3-3 with one to play.
INTO TGL OVERTIME!
We're on the final hole and it's tied at 3-3. Keegan Bradley goes first and finds the fairway. Next is Tom Kim and his club twirl tells you he's happy with his too.
Kim's next, with 260 yards to the pin. He's not as happy this time and we soon find out why - it reaches a greenside bunker. How will Bradley respond with 244 yards left? He's at the back of the green.
Bradley has 58 feet for eagle and finds the wrong side of the ridge. There's work to do for Boston Common.
Kim has 37 feet from the bunker to win the match. A shocker as it rolls back into the bunker. The second effort is miles better and looks like heading in before missing barely left! That would have been a birdie.
Now Bradley has a birdie putt, but from 15 feet. Hardly a gimme. It's an inch or so to the right and we have TGL overtime!
JUPITER LINKS WINS AGAINST BOSTON COMMON IN OVERTIME!
Bradley is first for Boston and while he hits the green, it's 26 feet 6in from the hole. Next is Kim. He gets closer so Jupiter takes a 1-0 overtime lead in the best of three contest.
Next is Kisner for Jupiter. It stays on the green but there's a way to go from about 14 feet. Adam Scott is next, but it hits the ridge and rolls back! That's not close to Adam Scott's effort and Jupiter Links has won against all the odds!
ONTO THE THIRD SCORELESS...
Tom Kim goes next for Jupiter followed by Boston's Keegan Bradley. Both go for the green in two, but while Kim falls short, Bradley misses the grandstand left. Rory sends his team's third over the pin and beyond, while Woods, from 40 yards, comes up just short of the green.
Adam Scott now has a 37-foot birdie chance for Boston. It's nicely judged but goes just left.
Kevin Kisner now got 15 feet for the birdie and a win. He hits it way short! The Hammer's been thrown again, this time from Jupiter. Can Kim make par from seven feet? He does!
Now the pressure's on Bradley to tie the hole from three feet. He does. Nice and easy and that's 0-0 after two!
A TIE AT THE FOURTH!
It's a new hole now. A par-5 571-yard layout called, ominously, Sidewinder.
McIlroy is first to go, and he's on the fairway. It's a nice drive from Tiger, too, and both teams have a chance to go for the green in two. Kevin Kisner for Jupiter is just short of that ambition, but it's left his team in a decent enough spot.
Now it's Boston's Adam Scott with 235 yards to go. He makes it to the green! "A beaut," declares the commentator as he leaves it 13-feet for an eagle.
Tom Kim's 32 feet away and just off the green for Jupiter. It's nice enough and Tiger should fancy a birdie.
Boston's Keegan Bradley then places it just wide on his eagle attempt, so it's up to Tiger to clean up for birdie for Jupiter. In it goes for the team's first birdie in TGL history! It took 19 holes! The hole is tied
Nothing like your first birdie.📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/1Z5cO5Q6u1January 28, 2025
KEVIN KISNER COMES UP CLUTCH!
On the 448-yard eighth, Kevin Kisner sends his tee shot onto the fairway, while Adam Scott finds the rough. Advantage Jupiter.
Now it's Keegan Bradley for Boston, who finds the back edge of the green. Tom Kim has 140 yards to go for Jupiter next. He sends it to the left of the green. "It ain't that easy, is it?" says Kim. Many would concur.
Rory's chip onto the green for Boston goes beyond the hole. How will Tiger fare? His does the opposite, coming up well short.
Boston then make par through Scott with a lovely putt and The Hammer is thrown to make it worth two. Can Kisner save the day for Jupiter? He does it! That's going to be great for the team's morale as they tie the hole against the odds!
TIED AS WE HEAD TO SINGLES!
We're onto the 582-yard ninth as the Triples section draws to a close. Rory plays a nice layup on the second shot and from 263 yards, Tiger finishes left of the green behind a bunker. He's not delighted with it.
Now Adam Scott has 158 yards left with Borson's third. Well done to him as he finishes 11 feet from the hole on the green to leave a birdie chance. With Jupiter's third, Kevin Kisner goes left of the green.
It's Keegan Bradley for Boston with 11 feet for birdie. Great putt. He drains it to pile the pressure on Jupiter. Eight feet for birdie and it's Tom Kim. In it goes and we end the Triples section tied at one a piece.
JUPITER LINKS LEADS FOR THE FIRST TIME!
On the 12th, a par-3 named On The Rocks, Tom Kim ensures Jupiter Links turn the screw by hitting the tee shot to within two feet of the hole! That was mightily close to the first ever TGL hole in one.
Next it's Keegan Bradley, who, while finding the green, faces a much longer putt from 22 feet. He misses narrowly right and Jupiter Links win to take a surprise 3-2 lead!
We have a closest to the pin ultimate shot shootout! Each player has an opponent. The one who gets closest to the hole from the GreenZone a point. The winner will be decided in a best-of-three contest. Only balls that land on the green are eligible.
