Match 1 of the TGL Finals did not disappoint on Monday night, with the Atlanta Drive GC winning on Patrick Cantlay’s six-foot birdie putt on the final hole during Singles. Cantlay drained the birdie putt, while friend and New York GC golfer, Xander Schauffele saw his 6-foot birdie putt lip out to hand Atlanta the victory.
Tuesday’s Match 2 could see Atlanta take the inaugural TGL Finals title if they win again in this best-of-3 format. New York battled back after going into a 2-0 deficit during the first four holes in Match 1, rattling off back-to-back wins on Hole 5 and Hole 6 to even the scoreboard.
Cameron Young won both holes in Singles to keep New York in contention heading into the final two holes, leading 5-4. Billy Horschel made a few big putts on the 11th and 14th to generate three points for Atlanta, knotting it up 5-5 heading into the 15th Hole. Cantlay outplayed Schauffele on the final hole in regulation, with their putters proving to be the difference, avoiding overtime. Tuesday’s Match 2 should be an even more highly-charged environment with a TGL Final championship at stake.
My TGL Finals Match 1 best bets went 2-0 on Monday. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for weekly PGA Tour analysis and free bets.
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
Tuesday's Best TGL Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Winning Team
Don’t count out New York Golf Club just yet. They stumbled early and late, allowing Atlanta to gain momentum in key points during Match 1. The order for New York’s lineup has been switched for Match 2, going Xander Schauffele-Rickie Fowler-Cameron Young. Young and Schauffele will swap places in their lineup for Tuesday night.
New York has a lot of resolve and there’s no doubt Schauffele will be fired up to make up for his missed putt on the final hole against Cantlay. Cameron Young has exceeded my expectations during TGL, probably due to his lackluster production on the PGA Tour this season. Fowler has been sharp off-the-tee and on approach.
If New York GC can grab an early lead, I like their chances to win Match 2 on Tuesday to force Match 3 afterward on Tuesday night. After a poor start to their season, New York went on a hot streak, including their impressive 6-4 win over 1-seed Los Angeles in the Semifinal.
Let’s bet a unit on New York GC to win Match 2 as the more desperate team with plenty of talent to back on their roster.
Pick: New York GC (-110)
To Lead After 6 Holes
New York tied the lead at 2-2 after Hole 5 and Hole 6 during Match 1. I think they’ll be more aggressive with their Hammers early in Match 2 to try and build a lead and avoid an early deficit against Atlanta.
This prop allows us to get through two full rotations of each lineup in Triples. I like how Young and Fowler have played in TGL lately, while Schauffele’s presence gives them a confidence booster. Let’s back New York GC to lead after 6 holes for one-unit at +125 odds.
Pick: New York GC (+125)
Hole Specials Match 2: Hole 1 Specials
There are a lot of Hole Specials before offered for Match 2 on FanDuel Sportsbook. One of the first props under these Hole Specials stands out to me, which is Justin Thomas out-driving Xander Schauffele on the opening tee at -115 odds.
Both Schauffele and Thomas can nuke their drives, which is why this is close to a pick’em. Thomas is a slight favorite and I agree in this spot. Match 2 starts on a short par 4, “The Plank”, running 376 yards.
Schauffele’s first drive in Match 1 went 316 yards, while Thomas’ opening drive went 338 yards. Granted, these outcomes happened on different holes. We also need to factor in the short length of Hole 1, which could see both players opt for less power off-the-tee.
Ultimately, I believe Thomas hits his drive on Hole 1 further than Schauffele, so let’s bet one more unit on this Hole Special prop at -115 odds.
Pick: Hole 1 (The Plank) Longest Drive – Justin Thomas (-115)
Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.
