TGL PRESENTED BY SOFI: BOSTON COMMON GOLF VS THE BAY GOLF CLUB

January 26, 2026

Rory McIlroy

Keegan Bradley

Michael Thorbjornsen

SoFi Center

Boston Common Golf

Press Conference

Boston Common Golf 9, The Bay Golf Club

THE MODERATOR: Rory, can we get some opening comments on the match?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, it was fun. We came out of the blocks early. Yeah, we started well. Michael has been an amazing addition to the team, has sort of taken to this style of golf really, really easily, much easier than Keegan and I did last year.

But I think with a little more experience from us, we're getting more comfortable in here, too, and it's showed over the first two matches.

Q. Michael, for the second straight match, you delivered in high-pressure situations. What's been clicking for you in this environment?

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: I don't know, I'm just having a lot of fun. Not really thinking too much about whether a hole is worth two points or if we need to make it or whatnot. I'm reading the putt the best that I can, trying to put good speed on it, and if it goes in, it goes in; if it doesn't, it doesn't. I'm just trying to have fun out here and play some good golf.

Q. Rory, what's the secret to overcoming jet lag that Shane wasn't able to?

RORY McILROY: He doesn't have his own plane. (Laughter.)

Q. Did you get any sleep --

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I slept okay. Yeah, I probably slept for seven or eight hours on the way home and then I took a couple-hour nap this afternoon before coming here, which actually made me feel worse. When you have a nap that's like two and a half hours, it's probably too long. But hopped in the cold plunge, woke myself up and rallied.

Q. Michael, walked in today with the Patriots hat, the Drake Maye jersey the first match. A lot of young Boston starts right now between Drake Maye, Roman Anthony, Tatum. Have you connected with any of them yet, and how do you see yourself fitting into that group with the next wave of young Boston stars for the city?

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: Well, I don't know if I can put myself up to their level. I met Roman, I think, earlier this fall. They're all great guys. I haven't met Drake or haven't met any of the Celtics players, but it's really cool to see where Boston sports is at right now.

I think we're all doing really well. We're trying our best over here. Patriots are playing for something a little bit bigger in a couple Sundays compared to this match. But we're all just trying our best to win.

Q. No playoffs last year; this year you look like a buzz saw. Do you think it's a game of sample size, and if season 1 of TGL was extended a little bit further you would have started clicking like this, or is season 2 just brand new Boston Common?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I think like Rory said, we learned a lot. I certainly learned a lot. I was really having trouble. The ball was overdrawing in here for me last year, and this year it's been a lot better. But getting in and doing the work, learning the holes -- it's very rare you can go play a practice round and hit the exact shots and know where the pins are and know exactly where this putt breaks, getting in here and putting in that effort to win.

It means a lot to me to play for a Boston team. It was my dream as a kid to do that, and I'm 39 years old now; I'm getting to fulfill a dream I had as a kid.

This truly means a lot to me to represent this city, this region that we're from. We want to come in here -- last year that was brutal. We want to go there and win the whole thing this year, and we're off to a good start.

Q. Keegan, can you talk to us about as far as planning, what's the biggest difference with indoor golf as far as planning ahead of time? Is it really harder to pick your start lines inside? What's the biggest challenge with indoor golf specifically?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I think Rory mentioned it earlier. It's very different where you're aiming when you're starting about ready to hit, and it's easy to aim sort of where you want it to go instead of aiming a little bit to the right for the draw or aiming a little left for the fade. It took a long time for me to get comfortable with that. I really didn't until this year.

So that was a big adjustment. I think they've made a couple really nice adjustments to the technology and also to the greens and the way the green is, a little bigger, less crazy undulations. I think it rewards shots better.

Q. For Rory, you mentioned kind of the demands of the jet lag. You're missing two guys again - Michael has been great - that are playing in the event on the West Coast. There have been rumblings of a more condensed PGA TOUR schedule; where do you stand on that, and do you think if that happened, it would free you up for opportunities to play more DP World Tour events and do TGL without it conflicting with the PGA TOUR schedule?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, look, Keegan and I were talking about this earlier. We've all heard the rumblings without really knowing what's being said in those rooms and what they're thinking of. Obviously I think we've all heard starting maybe after the Super Bowl and then going through to the end of August before the football season starts again. That seems very condensed to me.

But seems like a lot of golf in a pretty short period of time, depending on how many events they want to play. But that does open up opportunity for the other five months of the year around the world. I'm a DP World Tour member, a very proud one, and I think that opens an opportunity up for them to showcase some of their biggest events in that time of the year.

Yeah, obviously with TGL, as well, maybe not -- we've tried to do a good job of starting earlier this year so this season doesn't run so much into the PGA TOUR season. I think if the TOUR does go to that condensed schedule, it does open opportunities up for others to take advantage of those other five months of the year for sure.

Q. Rory and Keegan, this week Brooks obviously comes back and plays. Rory, you addressed it in Dubai a little bit. What does it mean to the TOUR? What does it say about what's happening between the TOUR and LIV Golf? Just your thoughts on all that.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think it says more about Brooks than anything else. He obviously is a very competitive person and wants to compete at the highest level. I think he made the decision that he thought competing at the highest level meant coming back to the PGA TOUR.

You've seen others say this recently. Patrick Reed said it in Dubai last week. It seems like some of those guys are maybe starting to realize that they're not getting everything that they wanted out of going over there, and that's obviously a great thing for the PGA TOUR.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, I think it's just an unbelievably great thing that Brooks is coming back. When I heard the news, I was thrilled. Brooks is an unbelievable competitor and somebody that really helps the PGA TOUR.

I'm nothing but very happy, happy for him, happy for the TOUR, and another guy that I think can help the TOUR get to another place. I'm really happy for him.

Q. Rory, would love to get your thoughts on the response from the announcement about WTGL, particularly when it comes to the people behind the scenes that want to be involved like Alex Morgan and many others that have expressed interest, and maybe some we haven't heard about being interested in being a part of it?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, look, I think the one thing about TGL and the parent company TMRW, there's a wonderful group of investors involved that are already heavily invested in women's sports. You've got Alexis with the soccer team in LA; obviously you've got Alex as an investor; you've got a lot of other female athletes, as well, being involved. It was great to see Charley here tonight.

Yeah, I think there's a wonderful opportunity. I think it's a great opportunity to showcase the women's game in a different way, maybe showcase their personalities a little bit more, as well. I think everyone is excited for it.

Q. I saw the Bruins jerseys. Can you give us a prediction for Sunday's game between the Bolts and the Bruins at the Stadium Series?

RORY McILROY: Hockey is not my sport. I'm going to pass it to these guys.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: How about 3-2 Bruins.

MICHAEL THORBJORNSEN: I was going to say 2-1 Bruins.