Billy Horschel’s massive putt earns Atlanta Drive season-opening TGL win over New York GC
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Billy Horschel of the United States catching his ball while playing the 15th hole during the second round of the Grant Thornton Invitational 2025 at Tiburon Golf Club on Dec 13, 2025 in Naples, Florida.
PHOTO: AFP
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PALM BEACH GARDENS – Billy Horschel made a 37-foot eagle putt on the final hole, to lift Atlanta Drive GC over New York Golf Club 6-4 in a stirring opening match of TGL’s second season on Dec 28 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
In a rematch of the 2025 SoFi Cup Finals
The 15th and final hole, a par-five called Quick Draw, saw team anchors Horschel and Xander Schauffele face off with the match on the line. Horschel reached the green in two, and Schauffele landed his second shot even closer than Horschel, inside 15 feet of the pin.
Horschel stepped up and drained a downhill putt that gently moved left to right. Fellow American Schauffele could have tied the hole and forced overtime with his putt, but it trickled just right of the cup.
The second season of the indoor, simulated golf league features the same six teams and rosters as the first, but star Justin Thomas was not available for Atlanta after undergoing back surgery in November. Lucas Glover also did not play.
Chris Gotterup, making his debut as a one-match injury replacement for Atlanta, hit the first drive of the TGL season.
The match was just 1-0 New York after seven holes when Atlanta closed out “triples” with a surge.
The Drive tied the match by winning No. 8 and then “threw the hammer” during the par-five ninth hole, doubling its point value after England’s Matt Fitzpatrick hit a wayward third shot for New York.
Horschel finished that hole with a six-foot birdie for Atlanta to collect the two points.
In head-to-head singles for the final six holes, Gotterup put Atlanta 4-1 up by making his birdie at No. 10 after Cameron Young missed his.
But Fitzpatrick collected an easy point for New York when Canadian Corey Conners found water off the tee at No. 11 for Atlanta. Young then stuck his drive at the short par-four 13th hole to 24 feet and converted the eagle putt to beat Gotterup.
Finally, Fitzpatrick tied it up with a 22-foot birdie putt at the par-three 14th to beat Conners.
The second match of the new season comes on Jan 2 when Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common Golf face Los Angeles Golf Club. After that, the league will play on three consecutive Tuesdays and a string of Mondays before concluding the regular season from March 1 to 3.
The four-team play-offs will be contested on March 17 and March 23-24. REUTERS
