Los Angeles Golf Club climbed out of a 4-0 hole to beat New York Golf Club 5-4 in overtime and clinch the first playoff berth in the inaugural TGL playoffs on Monday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
After scoring four points in three holes (Nos. 12-14) to tie the match, Los Angeles bested New York in a best-of-three, closest-to-the-pin overtime competition. Neither LAGC’s Tony Finau nor New York’s Matt Fitzpatrick were close in the first round, but Finau (29 feet, 6 inches) beat Fitzpatrick by a mere 5 inches.
Then, Collin Morikawa’s shot spun back to 6 feet and Rickie Fowler couldn’t match that, his shot settling at 9 feet, 7 inches, clinching the match for LAGC (3-0-1, 7 points).
New York (1-2-1, 3 points) seemed to have all the momentum during triples play, primarily on the greens. Fowler won the first hole with a 36 1/2-foot putt, and Cameron Young set the TGL record for longest made putt at 38 1/2 feet to halve the fourth hole.
Young beat Finau on No. 10, the first hole of singles competition, to put New York in front 4-0. Sahith Theegala finally got LAGC on the board at No. 12 by sinking a long putt of his own, a 28 1/2-footer to beat Fowler.
LAGC threw the hammer on the next hole, and New York accepted. Finau — signed to a one-match contract because regular players Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood weren’t available — holed a 10-foot birdie putt for the win, earning two points.
Morikawa kept it going for Los Angeles on the next hole, beating Fitzpatrick with a 6-foot putt.
–Field Level Media
