One more win and Atlanta Drive GC takes home $9 million. The first-ever TGL finals kicked off on Monday night with an intense showdown between Atlanta Drive GC and New York Golf Club. The two are competing in a best-of-three series, and after a thrilling back-and-forth match, Atlanta holds a 1-0 lead heading into Game 2 on Tuesday at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Atlanta extended its lead on the fourth hole in dramatic fashion. Billy Horschel’s approach shot from 230 yards came dangerously close to landing in the hazard, but instead, it cleared the trouble by just a foot and got a lucky forward bounce, settling just nine feet from the pin.

Then, Patrick Cantlay took full advantage, draining the eagle putt to give Atlanta a two-point cushion. And well, there is in fact no doubt in the fact that Billy Horschel did indeed come out to be the star of the show. And the best part? No one even expected him to be so. He was the underdog throughout!

The Golf Community dubs 8X PGA Tour winner the face of TGL

New York threw the hammer before Young’s putt, which he confidently drained, putting NYGC ahead 4-2. Atlanta responded immediately on the next hole. Fowler’s putt slid just low of the cup. Sensing an opportunity, Horschel decided to throw a hammer. New York accepted the challenge, but he confidently drained his 11-foot putt, bringing the match back to an even 4-4. Taking to his first set of heroics, people left comments like, “Play the next Presidents Cup at TGL, and Billy Horschel might beat the Internationals by himself,” and “Billy Horschel is the face of the TGL? Did not have that on my bingo card.”

After Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele halved the 12th hole, the focus shifted to Justin Thomas and Cameron Young on the 13th, where both struggled with their short game. However, Young once again bested J.T. in singles play, giving New York a 5-4 lead. The hole also sparked some controversy when Schauffele attempted to throw a hammer just as Thomas was preparing to putt. The move was ruled too late, but it may have disrupted Thomas’ focus, leading to a missed opportunity.

Atlanta responded, with Billy Horschel delivering another clutch shot on the 14th. Despite Rickie Fowler sitting just 10 feet away for birdie, New York declined Atlanta’s hammer, keeping the match level at 5-5 heading into the decisive final hole. “Not something I expected coming into this @TGL season… consider me a big fan of Billy Horschel now!” and “Billy Horschel makes tgl fun to watch. Wish every team had a guy with that much passion”.

Another taking a diplomatic stance, simply wrote, “Every tweet about Billy Horschel tonight is A) he has aura B) guy is cringe.” So, how did the match play out before New York’s hammer?

A thrilling back-and-forth between New York GC and Atlanta Drive GC

Earlier, the had match reached a 2-2 deadlock on the sixth hole after Billy Horschel mishit a chip that shot past the green, giving New York an easy birdie opportunity. Atlanta was unable to save par, ultimately conceding the hole. From there, the final three holes of triples ended in ties, setting up a singles showdown with the teams still locked at 2-2. Cameron Young gave New York the upper hand in singles with a clutch eagle. He crushed a 190-mph drive off the tee, setting up a long iron into the par 5. From 220 yards out, he stuck his approach just nine feet from the hole. Meanwhile, Justin Thomas nearly chipped in for eagle but was left with a four-footer for birdie. After Horschel’s 5-5 tie with Fowler, the digital course rewarded Atlanta Drive GC with a 6-5 win.

Billy Horschel proved to be the difference-maker for Atlanta, delivering under pressure when it mattered most. His clutch shots kept his team in the fight, showing why he thrives in high-stakes moments. Competition is intense. Can Horschel scoop ADGC out of TGL with that $9 million purse? We’ll find out on Tuesday 7 p.m. Stay tuned!