TGL’s championship night had plenty of twists and turns, but in the end, one moment stood out—the shot that Rickie Fowler will be replaying in his head for a long time. With everything on the line, Fowler found the bunker at the worst possible time, opening the door for Atlanta Drive GC to storm ahead and claim the league’s first-ever title. New York Golf Club had control early, heading into singles with a 2-0 lead. Schauffele added to the cushion, making it 3-0 after capitalizing on a Thomas bunker mishap. But Atlanta wasn’t done. They played their hammer cards to perfection, forcing New York into tough decisions and clawing back to 3-2.

Then came the defining moment. On the 14th hole, with Fowler needing a clutch shot to keep New York in command, he found the bunker instead—while Billy Horschel safely reached the green. Sensing their opportunity, Justin Thomas threw Atlanta’s final hammer, and New York had no choice but to accept. The stakes were massive—a two-point swing that could have ended the match for New York or turned the tide in Atlanta’s favor. And just like that, Atlanta never looked back, seizing a 6-3 victory and the first TGL championship!

At the post-round presser of the conclusion of TGL, he was asked how it felt to see the $9 million dream slip away as Billy Horschel made the putt. “Well, it is a spot being up there if you’re not coming from too far. It is makeable, but there’s a lot of movement right, and then you have to be in the right spot for it to feed left. So it is makeable but at a very low Percentage,” said Rickie Fowler. He admitted that, as Xander Schauffele had mentioned, he was confident about securing the up-and-down while taking the risk that the small chance of failure wouldn’t come into play. “Billy and the guys last night and tonight, they made more putts than us, and that’s a lot of what it came down to,” added Fowler.

“I’m taking Cam about eight or nine feet to win us two points all the time, and Billy Ho making that putt hurt us. I liked Rickie’s spot in the bunker. I thought he was going to get that up-and-down 75 percent of the time, and I had Billy making that thing less than 25 percent. I’m running that spot back. I’m trusting in my guys. But they earned it for sure,” said Xander Schauffele.

While Rickie Fowler surely was disappointed in missing out on the first trophy, Billy Horschel’s emotion of winning was unmatchable.

Billy Horschel almost blacked out after TGL win

Billy Horschel’s celebration was nothing short of epic as if he had just claimed both a green jacket and the Claret Jug in one go. His clutch performance gave Atlanta a crucial one-point lead heading into the final hole. With the pressure mounting on the par-5 15th, Patrick Cantlay and Cameron Young both landed just off the green. When Cantlay’s chip rolled to within two feet, Young couldn’t match the effort, sealing the first-ever SoFi Cup for Atlanta Drive GC.

After sinking the critical putt, Horschel caught up with ESPN’s Marty Smith, sharing his thoughts—or lack thereof—during the high-stakes moment. He recalled hitting his target and instantly knowing the ball was tracking perfectly. “Two feet out, I knew it was dropping, and I completely blacked out,” he admitted. He also acknowledged letting some colorful language slip in the heat of the moment and made it clear just how much he was enjoying the competition. “This is fun, man. This is absolutely exciting.”

And with that, TGL wrapped up its debut season in dramatic fashion, delivering the kind of thrilling finish fans had been hoping for. With the league’s first champion crowned, all eyes now turn to what’s next for TGL and its future stars.