PALM BEACH GARDENS — Justin Thomas became the 13th PGA Tour player in history to surpass $60 million in career earnings this week when he was runner-up at the American Express.
And yet, winning a $100 bet Tuesday on live television was one of the highlights of his successful TGL debut.
“I’m $100 richer than when I started this hole,” Thomas was heard saying on the television broadcast after his tee shot on the 151-yard seventh hole settled 20-feet from the hole, 6-feet closer than Cam Young’s.
“It’s always sweeter when a friend of yours has to hand over cash,” he said, while adding, “I’m just hoping I don’t get in trouble for that.”
Although the score was closer than the first two weeks, TGL is still looking for that one match that gives us some drama coming down the stretch. Atlanta, with Thomas, Jupiter’s Patrick Cantlay and Billy Horschel, never allowed New York to get any momentum after winning the first hole.
More: TGL golf recap: Justin Thomas makes big putts as Atlanta Drive blanks New York Golf Club 4-0
All Rickie Fowler, Matt Fitzpatrick and Cam Young, three locals who may need to spend more time inside the SoFi Center, were hoping by the end was just to win a hole. Instead, they were skunked and now have played two TGL matches, 30 holes, and have been outscored 13-2.
When Thomas made his second putt of at least 23 feet to halve a hole on No. 13, his 24-footer on No. 4 also resulted in a split, he was heard on his hot mic saying, “we really don’t want them to get a point, so that was huge.”
“Everyone holes putts but us,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s ridiculous. It’s, like, fixed.”
Competition still big part of project created by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy
And while the fundamental concept of TGL is about fun and entertainment, the competition remains a part of this unique project created by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.
“Every player in TGL is competitive and that’s what they’ve done their entire career,” Horschel said. “They’ve won. They don’t want to lose.”
“Even though this is a fun atmosphere, they want to win, and at the end of the day competition is going to come out and you saw it tonight. You can still be competitive and still be fun in this scenario, and I think we did a perfect job of that.”
And with Horschel, as sociable and approachable as any player on Tour; and Thomas, a world-class trash talker, on the same team, Atlanta will strike that balance.
Even Cantlay, who is as no-nonsense as they come, is buying into the lighter side of TGL.
Kind of.
“It’s definitely fun and different compared to regular golf,” Cantlay said. “But at the end of the day, we really want to win, and winning is fun. That’s kind of the main point.”
Billy Horschel’s ‘Dirty Bird’ hit of introductions
That fun started during introductions when Horschel did the Dirty Bird, a dance popularized by the Atlanta Falcons in 1998, and wearing a “DIRTY BIRDS” chain.
Horschel’s family was in on the stunt, his kids practicing the move with Dad on FaceTime.
“Hopefully they gave me a good rating and they liked what I did,” Horschel said. “But I’m sure they’re going to make fun of me at the same time, which is cool with me.”
Atlanta loosened up even more as it became apparent the trio would have little trouble with New York. Thomas mocked his opponents after Fitzpatrick got on his stomach to read a 4-foot putt that Fowler holed for a tie on No. 7.
“That’s an awful lot of reading for a 4-footer dead straight,” he said.
When it was over and after Atlanta’s first crack at this indoor, made-for-television, experiment that so far has received the thumbs up from those involved, each player was asked if there is anything he would change.
The answer had nothing to do with having a better understanding of the simulator or reading the synthetic green.
It had everything to do with that vision of Horschel flapping his arms.
“I’d probably go back in time and not watch Billy do the ‘Dirty Bird’ dance if I could because I will never be able to get that out of my mind,” Thomas said.
“Etched in there for life.” Horschel said. “It wasn’t going to be pretty. I was going to make a fool of myself. But it’s not the first time and won’t be the last time.”
Not as long as he’s playing in TGL.
Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Justin Thomas, Billy Horschel, Patrick Cantlay lead Atlanta to win in TGL debut
