“Tiger told me he was kicking me off the team if I didn’t get my game together,” said Kevin Kisner, who helped Jupiter Links win its TGL match at SoFi Center.
PALM BEACH GARDENS — It may not rank up there with the Miracle on Ice, but Jupiter Links Golf Club pulled off a Surprise on the Turf at the SoFi Center.
Heading into the Feb. 2 match, the reigning TGL champion Atlanta Drive had as many losses (one) in the 1½ seasons of the league as Jupiter had wins. Atlanta had won seven in a row, Jupiter had lost five consecutive.
Form followed when the Drive won the first two holes and appeared to be cruising to another win. Then they weren’t.
Kevin Kisner, who has been the subject of some ridicule during his stint with Jupiter, hit a key drive and a clutch approach on the next two holes.
Suddenly, the match was tied at 2-all, setting the stage for Jupiter’s comeback for an unexpected 8-6 win over the reigning champions. All Jupiter captain Tiger Woods could do was smile as his team of Akshay Bhatia, Max Homa and Kisner won for the first time in 371 days.
“Where has this been for a year and a half?” Homa said.
All three members of the Jupiter team contributed in key moments, but it was Kisner who seemed to provide the spark with his clutch play and deprecating comments.
“Tiger told me he was kicking me off the team if I didn’t get my game together,” Kisner said, smiling. “I’ve been disappointed with my play lately. When you play bad for your teammates, it really stinks. I heard tonight I led in strokes gained, which is the first time I’ve done that in my career.”
Tiger Woods watches Jupiter Links pull upset
Woods said he still has no timetable on his return after another back surgery, but he got to watch his team overcome the early deficit to finally leave So-Fi with a smile.
“We were getting our butts beat early, but we made a run and kept the momentum” Woods said. “We finally made some putts, which is nice.”
Atlanta’s team of Billy Horschel, Chris Gotterup and Jupiter resident Lucas Glover went 11 holes without a win. By the time they did, it was too late.
The night’s biggest drama came on the par-4 ninth hole, Jupiter’s home hole, Jupiter ahead, 5-2. After Kisner’s drive bounced into a trap, Atlanta threw the hammer. Jupiter accepted.
Gotterup’s approach went into a bunker, and when Bhatia hit it to 15 feet, Jupiter threw another hammer, which Atlanta accepted.
That meant the hole was worth three points – Jupiter could take an 8-2 lead or fall into a 5-5 tie. Glover made a nice save from the bunker, giving Homa a 15-footer for the three points. Homa hit his putt 4 feet past the hole, but Kisner, again, made the putt to preserve Jupiter’s three-point lead heading to singles.
Bhatia’s win over Gotterup on the 10th hole pushed Jupiter’s lead to 6-2. After the 11th hole was halved, Atlanta had no choice but to throw the hammer on the tee with Horschel facing Kisner.
Once again, Kisner came through, this time with a par, to clinch Jupiter’s win. Horschel had scored the winning point in Atlanta’s last three wins, but not Monday night.
It was Jupiter’s turn, finally.
Kisner delighted in the win, asking Atlanta captain Justin Thomas how many matches had they won in a row.
“Seven,” Thomas said.
“How many you won now?” Kisner said, laughing.
Glover almost salvaged the night when his tee shot on the par-3 14th hole missed going in the cup by less than an inch.
The final score was misleading after Horschel beat Kisner on the final hole, with a pair of hammers thrown.
No matter.
“I hate losing,” Horschel said. “They hit quality shots. You get behind the 8-ball, it’s tough to catch up. It was a matter of time before all three of them played well.
Just 371 days.
Atlanta Drive owner Arthur Blank first team owner for WTGL
Atlanta Drive owner Arthur Blank has become the first team owner for WTGL, a new women’s team golf platform launched in partnership with the LPGA Tour. The WTGL starts play during the winter of 2026-2027.
“We are thrilled to partner with TMRW Sports to be a founding owner in WTGL,” Blank said. “The growth of women’s sports over the past few years has been remarkable, and as we’ve seen through our other golf properties, women and girls are participating in the game at a higher rate than ever before.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tiger Woods' Jupiter Links rallies to defeat Atlanta Drive in TGL
Category: General Sports
