Defending champions Atlanta Drive GC handed Rory McIlroy and Boston Common GC their first defeat of the 2026 TGL season on a 5-2 scoreline on Monday night, with Boston dropping to third in the standings.
Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay and Chris Gotterup won two of the opening three holes to take a 2-0 lead, and though the Boston side of McIlroy, Keegan Bradley and Michael Thorbjornson won the sixth and ninth holes, another Atlanta victory on the seventh gave the inaugural TGL champions a one-hole advantage heading into the individual matches.
Gotterup then took down McIlroy in the first singles hole to double the advantage as the Holywood man three-putted from 24 feet, and three holes later, Gotterup got another point on the board as McIlroy found the bunker off the tee and then came up short, finding the penalty area.
This left Boston needing to win both of the closing holes having thrown the hammer on the tee, but a clutch par-save from Justin Thomas on the penultimate hole ended all hopes of a Boston comeback, but they can still clinch a playoff berth when they take on New York GC tonight.
“Yeah, we didn’t play our best tonight,” Bradley said. The greens, when it gets cold like this outside, get really fast, and we were just wailing putts by the hole, all three of us.
“Not our best night tonight, but we’ll come back tomorrow night and try to clinch this playoff spot.”
McIlroy was taking the positives from a season where they’ve rebounded from losing all five of their matches in 2025.
“I think compared to last year this has already been a success, getting our first couple of wins. Obviously Michael has been a really good addition to the team,” he said.
“But yeah, we said to him walking off the green there, this is how we felt all last year, so welcome to your first defeat.
“But yeah, we still obviously control our own destiny, and hopefully, as I said, get the win tomorrow night and the match on Sunday is obviously a little easier.”
Atlanta Drive then lost to L.A. Golf Club in the second match of the night, but they remain at the top of the table with L.A. leapfrogging Boston Common into second by virtue of holes won.
Shane Lowry will feature for Bay GC when they take on New York GC in tonight’s first match, while McIlroy will watch from the sidelines as Hideki Matsuyama and Adam Scott make their season debut’s alongside Bradley as New York play back-to-back matches.
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