TGL PLAYOFF SEMIFINALS PRESENTED BY SOFI: JUPITER LINKS GOLF CLUB VS BOSTON COMMON GOLF

March 17, 2026

Akshay Bhatia

Max Homa

Tom Kim

Tiger Woods

SoFi Center

Jupiter Links Golf Club

Semifinals Press Conference

Jupiter Links Golf Club - 9, Boston Common Golf - 5

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on the victory for Jupiter Links Golf Club advance to the finals here at TGL. Max, we're going to start with you. You played every single match this season, a lot of travel, balancing your schedule. What's it like to actually be here and make it to the finals, how gratifying is it to be a part of the team?

MAX HOMA: Yeah, it's great. I knew we had a bit of turmoil in the off-season, considering TW was hurt and Kevin is in the booth. So I figured -- at the time we didn't have Akshay, and I told Rob I would like to play all the matches and hopefully get some wins. It did not start like that. But this season felt way different than last year. When we were losing last year it didn't really feel like we had a lot of life. And this year when we lost early it felt like we were just getting the bad end of the draw. So it was cool to watch it flip.

Honestly, Akshay has been a massive boost to the team. Everyone's played like a great role, but he's got this -- we got two very young guys, and they're exuberance is quite nice. We're playing at 9:00 p.m., and me and Tiger are usually in bed. So it's been really cool to have these guys on the team. And, yeah, I don't know, it wasn't that hard to be here a lot, you know, I'm from the West Coast, so it's a lot of travel, but I would do it all over again.

THE MODERATOR: We'll take some questions.

Q. Akshay, you were an alternate with Jupiter Links this season, what are your biggest takeaways being at TGL?

AKSHAY BHATIA: Yeah, I think the bond is the biggest thing. Like, I've definitely gotten a lot closer with Max, especially at tournaments. Like, I always admired Max, grew up in the same town, but we would play here and there. Now I feel like every practice round we're texting each other, and TK same thing. I feel like I've gotten closer with him.

Obviously to have the greatest player of all time in your corner is really, really cool. Feel like we're bringing youth to him. And he says some really funny stuff, that it's just, it's a dream come true just to be on this team and represent Jupiter. So, yeah, it's just been a ton of fun. I'm glad that I was an alternate for this team because this is definitely the kind of the best, you know, gathering of guys that I could have imagined.

Q. Tiger, about a month ago I asked you how close you were and you kind of gave me that look like, for what? And I'm going to ask you again: Are we getting close, maybe play Augusta possibly?

TIGER WOODS: I said I've been working on it. Sometimes I have good days, sometimes I have bad days. Disk replacement is not a lot of fun. So Will Zalatoris went through it, he had two levels done, and it takes time. So as I said, I've had a lot of procedures prior to that, so the body doesn't quite heal like it was when I was 24. Doesn't quite bounce back. So I have good days when I can pretty much do anything, and other days where it's hard to just to move around.

Q. Tiger, heard you on the broadcast call these guys the Bad News Bears.

TIGER WOODS: We are.

Q. Is it just the youth of the guys or is there anything --

TIGER WOODS: No. I mean, look what we did last year. Okay, we skulled a bunker shot, almost killed some lady in the stands. Hit the flag. We had a shot clock violation by me over a 4-footer. We just had some just weird stuff. We finished dead last. That's Bad News Bears stuff.

But now the Bad News Bears can play. So we're back and we're now advancing into the finals and it's been incredible. As I said, the bonding that has, that occurs -- no matter what team you're on whether you're playing for Ryder Cup or playing Presidents Cup, World Cups, whatever it is, the bonding that happens in this, in teams, it's so different and unique. Because we don't do it. We're always by ourselves. We're always practicing by ourselves. And you never get this little team camaraderie. So when you're able to -- and on top of that the team camaraderie happens more frequently here with TGL. These guys come in and we have a great time. And we get to play golf at times we never thought we would ever play golf at, 9:00 to 11:00, a little different. But it's fun. And we had a great time. And we're showcasing this sport. We're showcasing, I think these guys are showcasing their personalities. These are the guys I know. Now the fans get to know the great guys that I know.

Q. This is the start of March Madness. We had the No. 4 seed upset the No. 1 seed right here. So Max, two quick questions: What do you attribute your dramatic improvement in singles from last year to this year in the TGL?

MAX HOMA: I don't know. I was joking with Kevin, Kevin was joking with me earlier in the year that I've played decent over the course of two years, and I had hardly, I don't think I had ever won a singles hole. And then this year I lost to a double eagle and like a lipout hole-in-one. So it's been a rough go for me, but it was really nice to get hot when I did. So, yeah, it's something I keep in the back of my head.

Q. Who inspired you to play golf and at what age did you start playing?

MAX HOMA: This guy in a red sweater on a Sunday when I was six. So, yeah, it was Tiger. It's just impossible, if you are my age, not to have been inspired by him to play. The excitement he brought to the game. I just remember, you know, I had a, I went to high school, we were purple and gold, which is pretty cool when you're like 13 or 14 years old walking through your high school in a cotton purple polo and people would say, Why do you play golf? It's not that cool. And I would just tell 'em, You go watch Tiger Woods. It's pretty cool, man. So he gave me a good out to feel, you know, somewhat, I guess, cool. That's the only word I can think of. Cool to keep trying to play and win majors and do all the things he's done.

Q. If there's a Coach of the Year this year, is it Tiger?

MAX HOMA: He better get it. They usually give it to the coach who flipped the team on its head best. So we went from last to the finals, so if he doesn't get Coach of the Year, I'm really not sure how this award works.

Q. Before the Masters, there's matches here next week, is there anything that would get you out here playing next week, or do you like what these three have going on?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I think that I have been trying to play each and every one of these matches. I've been trying to come back. But it just hasn't worked out that way. I've had a bad run of injuries last year. I think it's been a year and a few days since I blew out my Achilles. And so then I've had two back operations. So it's been a little rough go. But the guys here, this team, we have so much fun, I really don't want to screw up the lineup, I just want these guys to keep playing.

MAX HOMA: We could carry you like Byron Leftwich, if you wanted, from the tee to the green.

TIGER WOODS: Was that Marshall?

MAX HOMA: That's for the old guys in here.

Q. After season one, when you evaluated how you wanted the product to improve in season two, what were those areas, how would you talk about that progression?

TIGER WOODS: I think the fan interaction could have been better obviously in the venue. They couldn't hear us talking. We tried to get that, the audio better. I think that the way it was broadcasted on ESPN, I think they did a great job whether it was one or two. I think that people are starting to understand what we're trying to do, how we're playing the format, how we're alternating shots, strategies behind it.

And also the fan engagement with the holes. Last year we did more traditional holes because I think that that was a good way to start. But the fans wanted to see something more creative that we've never seen in golf. So now we got a bat cave. We've got some lava out there somewhere. We got apocalyptic Golden Gate Bridge, or Brooklyn Bridge, whatever bridge it is.

But there's some differences that I think that the creativity that I think we brought it to this year, and I think that's one thing that we're very proud of is that I think the product has gotten even better than it was last year.

Q. I noticed some thicker playoff rough today. Did you guys notice any further release, even though it's a virtual green? And if not, would you guys want there to be some firmer greens on a week-to-week or match-to-match basis to make it a little different?

AKSHAY BHATIA: I think I was the only one to hit out of the rough.

MAX HOMA: Sorry.

AKSHAY BHATIA: It's definitely like more, I would say, saturated, so I think that's why it was thicker. Now, would I want to see the ball release? No, not really. Like, it's already hard to judge distances sometimes. And then when you get rough then you're messing with spin rate already, so it's kind of a guessing game from there. I was telling Tom, we were joking about it like if there was wind in there how challenging that would be. But I think that's probably further down the line, if Tiger decides it's getting too easy.

Q. Your last victory you guys FaceTimed Akshay. Is Kisner already asleep, or are you guys going to FaceTime him and see if he's awake?

MAX HOMA: I'm going to give him a phone call at some point. I didn't know if he was going to say a bad word if I called him in here, so I might save that for in the team room.