Mar 28, 2026
3 min read
Tiger Woods competed for the first time in more than a year, and it wasn't enough to stop Los Angeles Golf Club, which made three consecutive Eagles to close out a 9-2 victory in Tuesday night's TGL Finals to capture the Sophie Cup.
Tiger Woods, making his first appearance in more than a year, was not enough to stop Los Angeles Golf Club, which won the SoFi Cup 9-2 in the TGL final on Tuesday night.
Woods has been a captain and cheerleader for Jupiter Links as he recovers from back surgery in October.He made the decision Monday night as Los Angeles rallied to win Game 1 of a best-of-three series, ready to replace Kevin Kisner.
His biggest moment was when he missed a 3-foot putt on the seventh hole and slammed his putter into the green in disgust.This gave LAGC momentum and turned around so quickly that the 15-hole match ended with 10 holes to go.
"We kicked our ass at the end," Woods said."Three eagles in a row ... I missed a short one to power them up and it never came back."
Woods had previously said that playing TGL was just a stepping stone.He gave no indication after the match was over whether he would play in the Masters, April 9-12.
"This body ... it doesn't look like it did when he was 24, 25. That doesn't mean I don't try," he said.
"I want to play. I love the competition. Either way, The Loop [expletive intended] will be there, and I'll be there with the night championships... We'll see how it goes. I'll practice this week, play at home and continue to improve."
His short putt put Los Angeles ahead for the first time at 3-2, and Tommy Fleetwood followed with a 12-foot eagle putt on the reachable par-4 eighth.
Max Homa suggested an early drop of the hammer - which leaves two points in the hole - when Jupiter took advantage of the par-5 during the next shot.He went back.
Fleetwood drove into the bunker and Woods hit a 3-wood to keep it out of the bunker.Homa approaches 15 feet for eagle, but Justin Rose hits a beauty just under 15 feet from the bunker.Tom Kim missed Jupiter's eagle putt and Sahit Tegala followed with an eagle to take a 6-2 lead in singles.
It took a hole.
The man rolled his way into the par-5 and had to save.Rose hit the roll and the second shot rolled to 4 feet.LAGC dropped the hammer (making the hole worth three points) and Homa had no chance.He lost, the Eagles were recognized, and the Los Angeles Golf Club walked away with the $9 million prize.
"It's sour," Homa told ESPN."Don't worry too much."
Homa later said he thought Jupiter would have to win the hole to draw the match.
"It was a really stupid move on my part," he said.
Jupiter Links won $4.5 million.
For Woods, playing again in the indoor golf leagues is also important. He last played in a game in early March 2025 when he ruptured his Achilles tendon before undergoing his seventh back surgery in October.
His first full swing was a 3-wood from 279 yards just off the green for a 1-0 lead.Jupiter took a 2-0 lead when Woods holed a 45-foot putt for birdie.That was his highlight.
It is not yet certain whether Woods will choose to captain the US Ryder Cup for the 2027 Games in Ireland.The PGA of America expects a response at the end of the month.
He was only thinking about the match he had played.
"It was great to be back with the guys," Woods said."We're disappointed we couldn't do it. We had opportunities. It's good to be back. I'd like to come back under better conditions."
