Justin Thomas delivered a stunning moment in the TGL semi-finals, leaving Rory McIlroy and the entire SoFi Centre in disbelief as his Atlanta Drive team secured a dominant victory over Min Woo Lee and The Bay Golf Club. The match featured an extraordinary stroke of luck for Thomas, who benefitted from one of the most fortunate bounces ever seen in the league.
The pivotal moment occurred on a par 5 hole known as “The Serpent,” where Thomas’ second shot seemed destined to go out of bounds as it flew across the simulator screen. However, the ball took an improbable bounce, redirecting it back into play and setting up a crucial birdie. As Thomas watched the ball sail toward the out-of-bounds area, Australian golfer Min Woo Lee could be heard repeatedly calling out for some luck on their side. Instead, it was Thomas who got the break, turning to The Bay’s Shane Lowry and playfully remarking, “Good things happen to good people, Shane.”
Luckiest bounce ever?! pic.twitter.com/pANR7nzn6W
— TGL (@TGL) March 19, 2025
Commentator Matt Barrie described the moment as “a bounce for the ages,” while McIlroy, who was on the broadcast, could hardly believe what he witnessed, calling it “the luckiest bounce I’ve ever seen.” At the time, Atlanta held a 4-2 lead, and Thomas capitalized on his good fortune by making birdie on the hole, outperforming Lowry’s par. This proved to be a defining moment, helping Atlanta secure an emphatic 9-3 victory against the second-seeded team.
With the win, Atlanta Drive advances to the championship round, where they will take on New York Golf Club in a best-of-three final. New York reached the title matchup by upsetting league leaders Los Angeles Golf Club in their semi-final earlier in the week. The winning team will share a prize pool of $9 million, while the runners-up will split a $4.5 million payout.
Reflecting on the upcoming final, Thomas acknowledged that New York had struggled in their previous meeting, failing to score a single point against Atlanta in the regular season. However, he expects a much closer contest this time around, noting that the playoffs have shown how unpredictable each match can be. “They’re obviously starting to play well at the right time,” Thomas remarked. “As you can see from our match tonight and all the matches, it seems to be totally different each night and what we’re getting in, and the group we get in. Obviously, I like our team and I like our chances. I’m excited. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
For The Bay Golf Club, the defeat marked a disappointing end to their season, but Min Woo Lee embraced the opportunity despite the late call-up to the match. He was added to the lineup less than 24 hours before the semi-final after Wyndham Clark withdrew due to injury. The Australian, who had been in contention at The Players Championship before fading over the weekend, showcased his impressive skill set, including a blistering 190 mph ball speed with the driver and precise approach shots.
Even though The Bay fell short, Lee was the only member of his team to win a hole in the singles format, continuing to make a name for himself in TGL’s debut season. His lively personality and cheeky on-course interactions have made him a fan favorite, while his shot-making ability has been on full display, highlighted by multiple chip-ins throughout the season.