Should the initial two stages of the NCAA tournament have failed to elevate your excitement with a sufficient number of surprising outcomes, the TGL’s SoFi Cup championship series, a best-of-three event commencing Monday evening, could deliver significant thrills.
During the semifinals held last week, the fourth-seeded Jupiter Links GC astonishingly defeated the top-seeded Boston Common Golf with a decisive 9-5 victory, thus eliminating the current Masters champion, Rory McIlroy, from the playoff contention.
The second-seeded Los Angeles Golf Club overcame a 4-1 shortfall after seven holes to ultimately defeat the reigning SoFi Cup champions, Atlanta Drive Golf Club, by a score of 6-4 in the inaugural semifinals match.
LA Golf Club’s prominent player, Justin Rose, remarked, “I believe this simply demonstrates the high caliber we possess as a squad, the proficiency of the golfers comprising our team. And also, the conviction that, given time, statistical probability will ultimately work to our advantage. One must maintain that mindset, and one must have faith in the team and in the game itself.”
Jupiter GC’s performance during the initial TGL season in 2025 — concluding with a 1-4 record and securing merely two points — was so unimpressive that the ailing golf icon, Tiger Woods, began to dub them the “Bad News Bears.”
Last week, Woods commented, “Consider our performance from the previous year. Alright, we mishit a bunker shot, nearly struck a woman in the stands. Struck the flagstick. I incurred a shot-clock violation on a mere 4-foot putt. We simply encountered a series of peculiar incidents.”
“Those were truly ‘Bad News Bears’ antics. However, now the ‘Bad News Bears’ are genuinely capable.”
Viewing Information for the 2026 TGL Playoffs and Final on ESPN
Initial Rosters for Match 1
Second-seeded Los Angeles Golf Club
Justin Rose
Tommy Fleetwood
Sahith Theegala
Fourth-seeded Jupiter Links Golf Club
Max Homa
Tom Kim
Kevin Kisner
On January 20, LA Golf Club, comprising Collin Morikawa, Rose, and Theegala, prevailed over Jupiter Links, represented by Akshay Bhatia, Homa, and Kisner, with an 8-4 score in the teams’ seasonal contest.
LA Golf Club initially established a 4-1 lead in triples, yet Jupiter Links mounted a comeback to narrow the gap to 5-4 prior to the 14th hole. Jupiter then employed a strategic “hammer” on the tee, thereby increasing the available points twofold, and Morikawa subsequently holed a 17-foot birdie putt to secure a 7-4 advantage.
That particular match featured the sole albatross recorded in TGL history when Rose sent his second shot from 227 yards into the cup on No. 10 (Sterling) during his singles play against Homa.
Jupiter Links Golf Club has excelled in singles matches this season, amassing a league-leading 16 points. Furthermore, it stands as one of the most proficient putting squads in the TGL, achieving a 72.7% success rate on putts within 10 feet.
Conversely, LA Golf Club has demonstrated superior performance in triples, claiming 18 holes for a total of 20 points. Additionally, LA has consistently achieved considerably more distance from the tee, averaging 317.9 yards.
The Layout
No. 1: Temple (par 4, 473 yards)
No. 2: Caverns (par 5, 569 yards)
No. 3: Set In Stone (par 3, 166 yards)
No. 4: The Jup Life (par 5, TBD yards)
No. 5: Fallen Pine (par 3, 164 yards)
No. 6: Loot on the Line (par 4, 377 yards)
No. 7: On the Rocks (par 3, 108 yards)
No. 8: Stinger (par 4, 416 yards)
No. 9: Showtime (par 5, TBD yards)
No. 10: Sterling (par 5, 535 yards)
No. 11: Alpine (par 4, 535 yards)
No. 12: Cenote (par 3, 264 yards)
No. 13: Cut the Sails (par 4, 337 yards)
No. 14: Cliffhanger (par 3, 151 yards)
No. 15: Stone & Steeple (par 5, 537 yards)
Layout Observations
No. 7 (On the Rocks): This par-3 hole, slated for play during the triples segment of the initial finals match, is likely Kim’s preferred hole. He achieved the second recorded ace in TGL history during a seasonal triumph against The Bay Golf Club on March 3, sending his tee shot beyond the flagstick and imparting backspin to guide it into the hole.
During last week’s win against Boston Common, Kim precisely placed his tee shot to within two feet, three inches, positioning for a birdie opportunity that widened Jupiter Links’ lead to 7-3.
Homa and Rose are scheduled to drive from the tee on No. 7 on Monday evening.
No. 8 (Stinger): Bearing the name of Jupiter Links’ “coach” Tiger Woods’ legendary low-trajectory drive, this hole demands that golfers keep their drives beneath 50 feet to surmount a geological outcrop that intrudes upon the driving area.
Up to and including the SoFi Cup semifinals, the Stinger hole registered the highest number of drives ending in penalty zones (six), with one such instance attributed to Theegala.
Kim and Fleetwood are slated to perform their tee shots on No. 8 on Monday evening. TGL statistics indicate that Fleetwood accounted for two of the three drives with the lowest peak trajectory on Stinger this season, notably including a 318.3-yard drive that reached only 9.1 feet above the surface.
Last week, Fleetwood commented, “It’s arguably the most straightforward shot for me to execute with a low trajectory and achieve sufficient distance. I find satisfaction in honing that particular shot. I frequently employ a comparable stroke on the golf course, akin to a piercing drive, though naturally not with that extreme minus-one degree launch angle.”
No. 12 (Cenote): As the lengthiest par-3 hole on the layout, Cenote incorporates a backstop feature, which golfers may opt to utilize to guide their tee shots nearer to the hole.
Jupiter Golf Links has consistently excelled against its rivals on No. 12, boasting a 5-0-1 record. Conversely, LA Golf Club has not been remotely as successful, holding a 1-4-1 record on this hole.
Kisner and Theegala are scheduled to execute their tee shots on No. 12 on Monday evening. In the teams’ most recent encounter, Kisner triumphed over Theegala in singles after Theegala’s tee shot came to rest in a penalty zone.
No. 14 (Cliffhanger): This par-3 hole represents one of three where L.A. Golf Club has exhibited strong performance this season. L.A. achieved records of 2-0-0 on No. 6 (Loot on the Line), 3-0-0 on No. 13 (Cut the Sails), and 3-0-1 on No. 14.
L.A. Golf Club successfully reached the green in all nine instances it contested those specific holes this season.
Justin Rose executed the lengthiest successful putt (15 feet, 10 inches) on No. 13 this season.
SoFi Cup Championship Timetable
Match 1: Monday, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2 and ESPN+)
Match 2: Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN and ESPN+)
Match 3: Tuesday 9 p.m. ET* (ESPN and ESPN+)
*Should it be required