New York Golf Club scored five points over the final four holes to pull away for a 10-6 victory over Boston Common Golf, clinching a playoff berth while eliminating Rory McIlroy’s team from contention on Monday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
New York’s Xander Schauffele “threw the hammer” at the par-3 12th hole before making an 11 1/2-foot birdie putt to beat Adam Scott of Australia for two points. The following hole saw Cameron Young defeat McIlroy after the Northern Irishman landed in a greenside bunker and hit a poor shot over the green complex.
At the 15th and final hole of the match, Boston needed two points to force overtime and threw the hammer straight away. It was Schauffele vs. Scott again, this time at a par-5, and after Scott left a long birdie putt short Schauffele chipped in off the fringe from about 7 feet away.
New York (2-2-1, 5 points) joined Los Angeles Golf Club, The Bay Golf Club and Atlanta Drive in the four-team postseason, which will include neither Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links or McIlroy’s winless Boston Common (0-4-1, 1 point).
Woods and McIlroy co-founded the virtual golf league, which concludes its first regular season Tuesday when Jupiter faces Atlanta.
Rickie Fowler, the third member of New York competing Monday, helped the team score two points during triples when he landed his tee shot at the par-3 fifth hole inside 6 feet of the cup.
“After the start we had (to the season), just coming into the season (the goal) was trying to get in the playoffs,” Fowler said. “After going 0-2, we were just trying to dig and find something … We’re just starting to find some form, so it’s good timing.”
–Field Level Media
