With Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy sidelined and no interest in debuts, TGL needed some excitement, a competitive match, to keep things exciting in Game 3.
Unfortunately, that didn't happen and it quickly turned into a snooze fest.
Fans didn't see any viral moments like Kevin Kisner's shank last week, the witty dialogue between the players, or the dramatic flair of the match itself. Atlanta Drive Golf Club's Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay and Billy Horschel's 4-0 victory over New York Golf Club was frankly boring. Thomas, Cantlay and Horschel handed New York its second loss in three weeks.
“I think anything is fun when you’re winning, so I took it really easy on ourselves and I think we complemented each other’s games well,” Thomas said.
“It's obviously a tough adjustment for us and for all the teams that are playing, but we managed to find a way to hit the fairways and greens and make a few putts. That was a bonus.”
Thomas held two putts from deep to earn his team two points. But other than that, there weren't many highlights to this match. New York's Cameron Young hit some incredible drives, but the soft-spoken Young barely said a word on the televised broadcast. The same goes for Cantlay.
Meanwhile, Horschel did his best to entertain, but the more important moment was entering the SoFi Center itself. he wore a huge silver chain It says “Dirty Birds”. atlanta falcons. Horschel then performed the “Dirty Bird” dance, which originated in 1998, the year Atlanta lost to John Elway. denver broncos At Super Bowl XXXIII.
“[My teammates] I knew it was coming. Obviously my wife and kids knew, and my middle daughter was dancing on FaceTime the other night. When they found out what the dance was, they looked it up on YouTube and watched it,” Horschel said.
“Listen, my kids love me, so hopefully they gave me good reviews and liked what I did, but at the same time when it comes to making fun of me… I’m sure. That’s cool to me.”
However, Thomas was reluctant.
“If I could go back in time, I wouldn't see Billy doing 'Dirty Bird,' because I'd never get that out of my head,” the two-time PGA Champion said. .
However, after Horchel's terrifying appearance, TGL failed to deliver. Nevertheless, there is some luck in the startup league. Woods and McIlroy will face off on Monday in what will be a much-needed turnaround for golf's newest venture.
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.