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Five Takeaways from Jupiter's Win over Boston

by

Kyle Porter

January 28, 2025
FeaturesBoston Common GolfJupiter Links Golf Club

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Jan 21st 2025 SoFi Center - TGL Match 1 NY vs  ATL
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Kyle Porter breaks down the action from Monday's match at SoFi Center between Jupiter Links and Boston Common Golf.

After three consecutive big wins to start the season, Jupiter Links Golf Club and Boston Common Golf delivered a tremendous back-and-forth duel in SoFi Center, which JLGC won 4-3 in overtime following 15 holes of regulation.

Monday’s win by Jupiter had it all. Tiger Woods vs. Rory McIlroy? Check. Kevin Kisner jawing and joking his way through 15 holes of play? Check. Monstrous made putts all over the place? Check. Tom Kim looking like a young Arnold Palmer about to go on a seven major championship tear? Also check.

“This is what we had envisioned for TGL, to have an experience like this, and I think we delivered,” said Woods.

The Ballfrogs got out ahead early with a point on the third hole but JLGC fought back and won the sixth after Keegan Bradley hit his tee shot in the penalty area. It got amusing after that. Adam Scott made a 11-footer at the eighth hole and threw the Hammer. Kisner covered him up with a 10-footer to tie the hole.

Then at the ninth – the last hole of triples – Bradley made a 11-footer and Kim covered him up with an 8-footer followed by a lot of pointing and yelling. It was awesome.

On to singles we went.

McIlroy won the first hole after a shot clock violation from Woods. Kisner tied it up on No. 11 against Scott. Then Kim almost made the first ace in TGL history at the par-3 12th to take a one-point lead.

Perhaps the most dramatic moment of the night came at the 13th. McIlroy made an 8-footer for par, threw the Hammer on Tiger and then Tiger made a 7-footer to tie the hole and spiked his golf ball as hard as he possibly could as the crowd erupted.

Scott beat Kisner on the 14th hole to pull back to 3-3 before JLGC won in overtime as Kim and Kisner chipped it closer to the hole than Bradley and Scott respectively.

If all of that sounds like a tremendous amount of fun, you would be right. It was.

A lot happened in the two hours, though, so here are five takeaways from Week 4.

1. Electric Atmosphere

My presumption was that a close match would be electric. It turns out, I may have underrated just how electric it would be. While parts of the first three matches slowed down at times, this match kept going faster and faster until the end.

It was like being on a bullet train with no brakes throughout the entire night.

2. JLGC looked like a different team

Part of it was Kim showing up and making every putt he looked at. But that wasn't the whole story as Kisner and Woods were much sharper, too.

This was a much-needed rebound with three matches remaining in their season after a disappointing Week 2 defeat to LAGC. Now at 1-1, JLGC is firmly in the hunt for one of the four playoff spots.

3. The putting!

The GreenZone had not given up much through three weeks, but on Monday all six golfers made at least one putt of 7 feet or longer, and Bradley, Kisner and Scott all made putts longer than 10 feet.

Answer after answer after answer on both sides made for the most compelling match of the season to date.

4. Time compression

One thing that stood out on Monday is how badly both sides wanted to win. Tiger was as locked in as I’ve seen him in years. Whenever an event that normally takes an entire day (or four days) is compressed into 15 holes over 120 minutes with a shot clock, it supercharges the intensity.

The best example of this?

Kim yelling at Tiger over the noise of the crowd about which way his putt was breaking on the 13th. Tiger lipped it in and went full Rob Gronkowski with a spike into the turf. The entire sequence was great entertainment and a peek into what the competitiveness of a slew of champions looks like.

"I've shared the course with [Tiger] 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,” said McIlroy.

“He was feeling it out there, and it was really cool to see."

5. Star of the night - Tom Kim

I’m not sure it’s even close. Kim’s energy was tantamount to Sahith Theegala and Billy Horschel, and he brought the scoring to back it up.

His highlight was of course the near ace, but maybe the best part of his night was when he left his third shot in the bunker at the final hole and nearly holed his next one to win the match in regulation. Kim might end up being the most beloved player in this league.

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