Look — if you’re not in on TGL, if you prefer your golf outdoors and un-screened, if you’re wholly uninterested in learning more about “the hammer” or who might play for “Bay G.C.,” I’m not here to convince you.
But that was a hell of a moment.
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Tom Kim stepped onto the tee on the second-to-last hole of the season. His side was down one point, but they’d just thrown the hammer, doubling the value of the hole. If he lost the hole, Jupiter Links’ season was over. As TGL goes, this is as big as it gets. How’d he respond? By flying his wedge shot directly over the flag and watching as it rolled back into the middle of the bottom of the cup.
Here’s the moment — followed by five instant reactions on why this was a dream ending for TGL.
1. Tom Kim was built for this moment.
Week in, week out there just aren’t many golfers losing their minds after doing something cool. But put Tom Kim in a team setting — whether it’s the Presidents Cup or TGL — and you can just about guarantee that at some point he will go berserk. So when something mind-bending like this hole-in-one happened, it could have been a more perfect guy in a more perfect moment. (We need Kim to find his game on the PGA Tour; he’s too fun not to have in the mix.)
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2. Tiger Woods fist-pumping is a TGL dream.
Look, when Woods and Rory McIlroy and their various business partners were dreaming up TGL, they were probably picturing Woods fist-pumping his own hole-outs rather than those of his teammates — but anytime he’s dropping to his knees like he’s just holed that chip shot at Augusta National, it’s a win for whatever moment he’s celebrating.
3. It’s a miracle nobody got hurt.
Again, golfers aren’t used to celebrating and they definitely aren’t used to celebrating as a team.
“I’ve never been tackled before,” Kim said post-win.
It’s a miracle he didn’t take out Homa, he hit the deck, too, and given Woods’ health status it’s not comfy watching Kim jump into his arms, either. Let’s just be glad everybody’s walking away from this one…
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4. This also meant redemption for Kevin Kisner.
Kim’s moment could have ultimately been for naught had Kevin Kisner gone on to lose the final hole. Given he was playing a lengthy par-5 against big-swinging Wyndham Clark — and given Kisner hasn’t exactly been the star of TGL up to this point — the odds didn’t seem to be in his favor.
“I texted Max Homa when I saw the yardage book at 7:15 this morning and said if it comes down to 15 we’re probably screwed, because Wyndham can get there in two and I can’t,” Kisner said.
But Kiz dissected the hole with two layups and a flagged short iron, Clark hit a mediocre greenside chip shot and the rest is history. Vindication for Kisner.
(Also worth noting Max Homa’s birdie putt at No. 13 made the entire thing possible.)
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5. This playoff showdown is set
It’s not quite Rory vs. Tiger, because Tiger’s unlikely to play. (“Well, I’ll be here either way,” he said, leaving the door open.) Regardless, it is Rory McIlroy’s team vs. Tiger Woods’ team; the sides are set for a showdown in the semifinals in two weeks’ time.
Four of TGL’s six teams make the playoffs, so this isn’t exactly Cinderella-story stuff. But last year was a nightmare for the league when McIlroy’s Boston Common and Woods’ Jupiter Links were the two teams to miss the postseason.
This time around they’re set for a showdown.
Where’d this moment rank for Woods? He gave the perfect response.
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“Best indoor experience ever.”
In the meantime, back to real golf. Not bad for a Tuesday night diversion, though…
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