TGL Season 2’s second match kicked off with a moment that left Rory McIlroy and Keegan Bradley gasping for air. All because of the punchline Bradley delivered perfectly—a Deja Vu to past pressure putts that both Boston teammates had experienced. The banter unfolded during a pressure-packed sequence, captured by TGL’s mic’d-up coverage.

Bradley opened with, “Drive is one inch from the stand.” Rory McIlroy replied, “I know. I’m having a wedge from the fairway.” Then Bradley reached back to 2025: “By the way, you did that twice when we played the last half.” McIlroy acknowledged, “Yeah. One inch? Then I started hitting three with it.” The moment that left both teammates gasping came when Bradley delivered the closer: “We’ve been here before.”

What sounds like talk about drives was actually about putts. Bradley had just faced a 12-foot, 3-inch putt to win Hole 6 against LA, with Boston trailing 1-2. The pressure was mounting as this match was the chance to claim dominance over LAGC. But instead of silence, the 39-year-old chose comedy—reminding McIlory of their shared history of nail-biting moments from Season 1.

Bradley’s “the last half” reference pointed directly to McIlroy’s memorable 2025 TGL Season 1 performances. Rory McIlroy sank a high-pressure putt that earned Boston Common two points, a moment significant enough to land in TGL’s official “Best Shots of Season 1” highlight reel. Those weren’t routine putts; they were clutch, win-the-hole moments that defined Boston’s campaign despite finishing winless at 0-4-1.

The joke worked because both knew exactly what Bradley meant. They’d lived those heart-stopping inches before.

In the inaugural season, Boston finished at the bottom of the standings with no wins. They didn’t win any games, but they showed promise by leading all teams in average driving distance (318.8 yards), placing third in greens in regulation (68%), and third in singles holes won (nine). The problem was that they finished last in both scrambling (32%) and short-putt efficiency (55%), the two most important TGL success categories.

But this year, they wanted to do things correctly. And their first step towards that was adding Michael Thorbjornsen to their roster, and while announcing this move, the Northern Irishman made a playful joke at Bradley’s expense, displaying their bond.

“We should’ve got Viktor Hovland in there (TGL) to fake an injury,” Rors said,  pointing out the controversial Ryder Cup captain’s pick that benched Harris English on the final day of the Ryder Cup.

Jokes apart, McIlroy’s decision to bring Thorbjornsen to the team brought more vitality and energy. The 24-year-old from New England has great ball-striking skills and was the top student in the Class of 2024 at PGA Tour University. The timing couldn’t be better. Boston needed a win, and Thorbjornsen delivered.

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Rory McIlroy’s Boston had its first TGL win

Boston didn’t spend any time showing that their hard work paid off. They beat the Los Angeles Golf Club 7-5 in their first game of Season 2 on January 2, 2026. This was the franchise’s first TGL win after losing all 16 games in Season 1. The hero was Michael Thorbjornsen. The debutant made a 15-foot, 9-inch putt on Hole 15 while Boston was ahead 6-5. His shot led to winning the Quick Draw match against Sahith Theegala.

The win was even better. With a record of 4-0-1, Los Angeles finished Season 1 as the top seed. They had already beaten Boston 6-2 in their first Season 1 game. Boston was down 5-0 to LA when singles play started in the first encounter, so this comeback was even better.

When it counted, Rory McIlroy and Bradley demonstrated that they were champs. Boston had a hard time with short putts all last season, but they finally got it right on the GreenZone when it mattered. Thorbjornsen’s clutch putt wasn’t just about winning; it showed that Boston’s roster move was the right one and that they could compete with the league’s best teams.

The mic’d-up interaction between Keegan Bradley and Rory McIlroy was more than fun. It showed the real chemistry that both golfers share, despite their rivalry in the Bethpage showdown. Boston’s first three games pit them against last season’s top three teams—Los Angeles Golf Club, New York Golf Club, and Atlanta Drive GC—leaving no room for error if they want a head start. They passed the first test against LA, and how they perform in the remaining two remains to be seen.