Neal Shipley made his TGL debut unforgettable on Monday, recording the league’s first-ever hole-in-one moments after teammate Luke Clanton predicted the historic shot for The Bay Golf Club
Neal Shipley was ecstatic after nailing TGL’s first hole-in-one in his debut in the league(Image: X: @TGL)
TGL witnessed its first-ever hole-in-one on Monday, courtesy of a player making his league debut.
Neal Shipley, making his first appearance in Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s league, quickly made his mark. Representing The Bay Golf Club against Los Angeles Golf Club, the emerging PGA Tour star approached hole number five, recognized as the shortest par-3 in the league’s history. Elsewhere in TGL, Justin Thomas stopped by to watch a match while he continues his injury layoff, echoing a move by Woods.
As they headed to the hole, teammate Luke Clanton was heard encouraging the 25 year old, requesting a hole-in-one. “Hey, give me a hole-in-one here, please,” Clanton said while Shipley laughed at his partner’s request, marking a full circle moment given his previous round with Woods. It comes as McIlroy and Shane Lowry made their feelings clear on a TGL expansion.
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Shortly after, Shipley executed one of the most unlikely shots in the new league’s history. He struck a wedge deep onto the green, and the ball slowly rolled toward the hole, prompting him to toss his club skyward as the SoFi Center erupted with applause.
He was immediately congratulated by Clanton and Min Woo Lee, his other teammate, while even LAGC acknowledged his achievement. After collecting himself, the player described what went through his mind as he watched the ball gradually approach the hole and the response to his shot, reports the Mirror US.
“This is different than any hole-in-one I’ve had before,” The Bay Golf Club star told ESPN afterward. “This is amazing. So cool.”
Moreover, Shipley recounted the exchange he had with Clanton moments before the latter nailed the remarkable shot.
Neal Shipley rightfully celebrated after nailing the first hole-in-one in TGL history(Image: X: @TGL)
“The craziest thing is Luke called it, let’s go make an ace right here right before we stepped on the tee and yeah, just hooped it,” the 25 year old recalled.
The former Ohio State standout then delivered another unforgettable moment for Bay GC. With LAGC gradually closing the gap on the par-3 14th hole, Shipley had an opportunity to seal the victory for his squad.
From approximately 16 feet out, Shipley coolly drained the birdie putt to essentially secure the win for his team, with both Clanton and Lee offering enthusiastic high-fives as they departed the green. Clanton was specifically overheard encouraging his teammate, “Let’s go!” as they proceeded to the following hole.
In a post-match interview with ESPN’s Marty Smith, the 25 year old discussed his TGL experience and explained why certain moments proved more anxiety-inducing than others.
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“This is a blast,” he said. “I mean, this is like nothing I’ve done before, and I mean, it’s just such a great time. I mean, how can you not enjoy yourself with this atmosphere?”.
He added: “Well, I was talking to Luke earlier about it, and we were saying, like, we’re almost more nervous over here on the sidelines watching our boys hit shots. I mean, it’s nerve-wracking, and it’s super fun to root for someone.
“Not that you’re ever, like, rooting against guys, but it’s, you know, having a teammate’s really cool, and it’s special.”