TGL PLAYOFF SEMIFINALS PRESENTED BY SOFI: LOS ANGELES GOLF CLUB VS ATLANTA DRIVE GOLF CLUB

March 17, 2026

Patrick Cantlay

Billy Horschel

Chris Gotterup

SoFi Center

Atlanta Drive GC

Semifinals Press Conference

Los Angeles Golf Club - 6, Atlanta Drive GC - 4

THE MODERATOR: Guys, not the end result that you wanted, but what positives can you take away from tonight?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Next question. (Laughing).

BILLY HORSCHEL: Right now I can't see the positives.

THE MODERATOR: Go ahead and open it up for questions.

Q. Chris, you stepped up as an alternate this season, can you sum up your experience playing TGL this season?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: Yeah, I mean, it was awesome. I was only supposed to play one match, and ended up playing five. Obviously these guys welcomed me in and were, it was great to be a part of the team with these guys, and obviously Lucas and JT too. I've enjoyed -- I mean, this sucks but I've enjoyed every part of it, even the losing. It's been a fun experience and hopefully part of it for many more. And, yeah, I just can't say enough about how much fun it was playing with these guys and obviously the two others that weren't here. Ben as well who is our manager as well.

Q. Billy, were you guys a little surprised by that hammer on 14, and what were your thoughts on why you guys declined?

BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, I mean, obviously they took an opportunity there they had a 5-footer and they threw a hammer to see how it would play out. Listen, they were up one, if they accept and I missed that putt they win the match, and if I decline they're up two and we have to throw the hammer the last hole. I wasn't expecting the hammer being thrown, but it doesn't shock me. The reason we declined is, listen, I back myself every time from inside 10 feet anywhere. But, you know, it just needed to be declined at that point so we could at least have a chance to still tie the match going to the last hole to throw the hammer for two points.

Q. After two years of TGL, obviously the league's always looking to improve. What are your thoughts on a formal transfer window or trade window like other pro sports, or even a little draft?

BILLY HORSCHEL: I think you're probably going to see movement within the teams possibly. I have nothing to base that off of, but just understanding that you're going to probably have some players that want to come out or want to do it, and some guys that may, you know, pass the opportunity and maybe there is some trading. But I don't know the ins and outs of what the plan is going forward on that.

Q. Billy, by my count you played as many matches as anybody. How do you assess the potential toll that this league may take on your time, energy, and your body as kind of some takes for flying around --

BILLY HORSCHEL: Just ask the question. Just ask the question. I'm not being a butt head to you.

Q. Are players getting injured --

BILLY HORSCHEL: No, they're not getting injured because of TGL. I was going to answer that question based that, you know, based off you answering that. Listen, it's a time commitment. We all knew when we signed up that it was a time commitment. And we all understood what this league had the possibility to know to be, and we have seen it in two years. Everyone's bought in, everyone has their own little role that they play. Listen, PC is not going to yap it up out there like JT, but what he brings is very valuable, and I think the fans love it when they start talking about strategy. Like, listen, I love it when he starts talking about strategy. I'm sort of tuned into it.

The injury question, no. I mean, listen, we're used to hitting golf balls all the time, and majority of the time we're probably hitting less golf balls on a match day than we would on a normal day. So to think that players are getting injured because of TGL, I'll use Rory's word last week, preposterous.

Q. Chris, Pat, you guys played at THE PLAYERS over the weekend, obviously on hole 6 with the tree at the overhang, and then Stinger is like that on steroids. Do you think the PGA TOUR should have more holes like that that have an actual forced under an object, not just wind?

CHRIS GOTTERUP: (Laughing) Good luck finding a rock that hangs -- we're playing on a cliff there. I don't know. I think that's the fun of this. I think it's unrealistic but fun to hit shots like that. And we do get shots like that out on TOUR, like weather permitting and all that good stuff. But I would be hard pressed to find a TOUR course that will have a hole like that. But, yeah, I mean, I enjoyed playing it, and it's fun, it's fun to play different stuff, and I think it gives us a way to play golf, but also play it differently than what we're used to. I think that's part of the beauty of TGL.

Q. Patrick and Billy, because you guys have played two full years, to turn the question around, some guys have said they think TGL's kept them sharp. Is there a way it could actually just benefit you in some little bit of a way when you're not having to do a lot of travel and you just kind of out here on Monday and Tuesday getting ready for a TOUR event.

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I don't really see TGL as being remotely the same as the TOUR. So in my head I kind of separate the two. It's fortunate that I live 15, 20 minutes up the road and I think that makes it pretty easy for me to do.

BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, I think staying sharp, I think obviously when you have to hit shots under pressure anywhere, whether it's on the PGA TOUR -- obviously it's tough to recreate the pressure at home, but I think this is probably a better situation than us three playing a little money game in that situation, just because the fans, the TV, you got all that added to it. I think that's the part that is beneficial in TGL is that you feel the nerves, so when you're out on TOUR you have a chance to win a tournament you felt those nerves already.

Q. Thinking of the team aspect of TGL, how do you think this is going to play for the Americans in future Ryder Cups and team competition?

PATRICK CANTLAY: How what's going to play?

Q. As far as a benefit to playing this team style on a more regular basis with the guys. Do you think it will bleed over into performance at the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup matches?

PATRICK CANTLAY: No, I don't think it has much to do with those team events at the end of the year.