TGL: Justin Thomas impresses on debut as Atlanta Drive defeat Rickie Fowler, Matt Fitzpatrick's New York Golf Club

golf Wednesday 22 January 2025 06:06, UK

Justin Thomas starred on his TGL debut to help Atlanta Drive GC to a convincing 4-0 victory over New York Golf Club in their season opener.

Thomas lined up alongside fellow former FedExCup champions Billy Horschel and Patrick Cantlay for their first match in the new tech-infused team league, which sees PGA Tour stars go head-to-head inside a purpose-built indoor arena.

The two-time major champion saw his side lead from the opening hole and never trailed throughout the contest at the TGL Sofi Center, where they won two points in the opening nine-hole session that uses an alternate shot - or triples - format.

Atlanta Drive won the first two holes of singles and closed out a convincing win, where New York's line-up of Matt Fitzpatrick, Rickie Fowler and Cameron Young became the first side to fail to score a point in a TGL match.

Victory sees Atlanta Drive earn two points and move joint-top of the SoFi Cup standings, with New York bottom of the six-team league after a second successive defeat and now struggling to qualify for the season-ending playoffs.

New York GC immediately fell behind when Young hit his opening shot out of bounds and allowed Atlanta Drive to win the hole with a par, with Fitzpatrick then missing a putt from eight feet to level the match at the next.

Young also squandered a birdie chance to win the third, while Atlanta Drive stayed ahead when Thomas recovered from losing his footing and hitting his drive at the par-five fourth into the penalty area by draining a 25-footer to scramble a par.

Cantlay couldn't convert a 15-foot putt to win the fifth but saw his side double their lead the sixth, when Thomas knocked his approach to six feet and Horschel holed the putt, with the remainder of the holes tied in the triples session to leave Atlanta Drive 2-0 up heading into singles.

Young failed to get up and down to match the birdie of Thomas at the tenth, while Fitzpatrick conceded the 11th against Horschel after finding water with his second and then hitting his next two shots into bunkers.

Thomas holed another long-range putt to birdie the 13th against Young, who had fired a 360-yard drive and left his approach in gimme range, while Fitzpatrick was unable to earn New York their first point when he burned his birdie look at the 14th.

Atlanta Drive elected against using 'The Hammer' throughout the match, which gives a team the opportunity to put their opponents under pressure by doubling the value of the hole, with a shutout confirmed despite Cantlay's missed birdie chance at the last.

Fowler said: "We've just got to find a way to play better than the other team. We've gotten outplayed both times. I don't think we played very poorly, other than our first hole.

"We got off to a rough start, but other than that, there's no blaming here. I missed the green with a chip. Yeah, we dug ourselves a small hole, but I felt like we played decent from there. But the big thing is we have to find a way to hole some putts."

Young added: "I think the game was really fun. Obviously not the result that we wanted, but I feel like it was the best golf I've seen from watching the other two matches and then ours tonight. It was a blast, and I think we'll do better next time."

Rory McIlroy is set to make his TGL debut on Monday when his Boston Common Golf side take on Tiger Woods' Jupiter Links Golf Club, who were thrashed by Los Angeles GC in their season opener, with coverage live from 11.30pm on Sky Sports Golf.

Atlanta Drive GC return to action with two matches on February 17 against Los Angeles GC (6pm) and The Bay Golf Club (9pm), while New York GC next play on February 18 against Jupiter Links (February 19, 12am UK time).

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