Lose a Hole, Lose a Club!

Two rising PGA TOUR stars. One iconic course. And a twist that adds some excitement.

Watch Team TaylorMade’s Michael Thorbjornsen and Karl Vilips go head-to-head in an epic Battle Golf match at TPC Sawgrass.

Here’s the catch: lose a hole, lose a club.

Every time a player loses a hole, their opponent gets to pull a club from their bag—making strategy and creativity the name of the game.

From driver drama to clutch putts, this 18-hole showdown is packed with laughs, competitive fire, and the unique friendship these two share on and off the course.

Who will come out on top? Let us know your predictions in the comments!

So, I’m going to be left with no I don’t know what he’ll be able to do. Oh, beautiful. Beautiful. So, grass. Tell you what, driving in and looking at this clubhouse, I don’t think it’s ever going to get old. Me and Mike have been going at it for a while. We played some junior golf together and then we’re we’re teammates for 4 years. It’s been a crazy journey, bro. Yeah. Oh, no. We’ll we’ll go good. Good. My brain is in shambles. In shambles right here. Am I asking for too much if I want it to be in the fairway? Oh, yes I am. You’re asking for a lot there. [Music] So, nine-hole battle golf. Me and Mike here. Essentially, just winner of the hole takes a club out of the other person’s bag and just try to screw each other, I guess. Driver and putter are safe. Driver and putter are safe. Yeah. really good. Straight down the pipe. Nothing makes me happier than that. Off the first. All right, stroker match again. Let’s run stroke play. Let’s make it interesting. Okay. Oh, go. Oh, a little film special coming in. That’s fine. Okay. Well, half the ball was off the face there. Carl was smart. I hit a 3-wood on the range. He hit a 3-wood on the range. I did not. I will say I I absolutely loved having this be my first shot in the players. Like it’s just the the only shot I have in the bag that’s like good is a draw three. Mhm. H. It’s a little fading. Decent distance. All right. Yeah, you take that shot. Sit. Sit. Go. Is that pin in the ball or just short? I don’t know, Mike. I can’t I can’t see. I really don’t know. That was a good shot. I think it’s pin high. It should be. This should be pretty good. Have the wrong club. Got the wrong club. Yeah. I thought I was You’re preparing already. Thought I was back there. I’m just I’m loading up the excuses. Got to have him ready. Oh, just slow. Oh my goodness. Okay. Oh, no. I did not. Oh, okay. He’s giving me a chance. It’s good. Oh, that’s all I can ask for. It’s happened too many times this year. Ah. Whoa. Ah. Whoa. Just hit it too hard. That’s a disappointing bogey. Hopefully. Just one. Is it two clubs for two shots? I was literally thinking that over my ball. I was like, if I miss this, I might be in for a threewood and seven would out of my bag. But what are we choosing? Uh, I’m gonna I’ll think about it on the on the drive over to the next hole. Look, it’s really not going to matter, honestly. What’s the second shot looking like? I’ve got I’ve got good hands. Which one do you want me to take out? Look, man, it’s all up to you. I’m between his his two woods here for this second shot here. Just take out my pitching wedge. Okay, then I’ll take out your seven wood. Great. It’s just my favorite club in the bag and I’m going to probably need it here. All right. Should I just throw it in the water? [Music] Oh, hang on. Please. Right side. Just catch a piece of the fairway. Fairway. Yeah, that’s fine. Give me a shot. Right. Please give me a shot. It’s all I’m asking for. Oh. Oh. Oh. Let’s go. I see how he is. Carl should have been a little further in those trees, but I think he’s going to like where it ended up. Am I asking for too much if I want it to be in the fairway? Oh, yes, I am. Yeah, you’re asking for a lot there. I don’t really want to be in the rough cuz like that would be a really good sevenwood. Mhm. Which you don’t have. Put it back in play. All right, that should be perfect shot. All right. Oh. Oh, hang on. Just catch a piece of it. Oh, right bunker. Try to play that high cut. Just didn’t start it far enough left. That looks good. Oh, what a bad bounce. That’s a poor bounce. Oh my goodness. Oh, makes up for the T- ball. I mean, you hit a great shot. Do you uh are you trying to do anything different here with the ball this far above your feet? Yeah, I just grip down a little bit. Aim a little further right cuz I have a pretty big pull tendency. Mhm. And I I played it well there. That was unfortunate that the greens are punched. Might have landed I think it landed in a aeration mark. But yeah, I feel like for me when the ball’s above my feet, it obviously it tends to go more left than when the ball’s below my feet, I feel like that normally it doesn’t really go too far right for me. When the ball’s below my feet, I pull it every time. Got some work. I wanted it to run with pace. Oh my goodness, these greens are actually rolling so fast. Okay. All right. Why do I do this to myself? Back to back. Ah, it’s okay, Mike. We’re about to steal another wood out of my bag. Needed it. You got it. That’s just big for the confidence there. I mean, I don’t know what I was seeing with that first putt right here. No blood there. So, we’re going to do a putt off. And we got a long putt, which requires good speed. So, hopefully I dial in here. Closest tugs to take a club out. It’s also like that’s off the green as well. They’re just not that slow. Oh my god. Does it have to be on the green to count? Leave it 12 ft short, please. Oh my goodness. I did. I mean, that’s that’s good enough. Take the hole, man. I didn’t deserve to win that one anyways. I mean, you gave me a poor read with how much pace he had on that one. All right, so I won the putt off in the last hole. I’m going to go with Carl’s nine iron here. Why don’t you do that? Still just trying to make it as tough as possible on u on 17. think if maybe I can win a couple more holes, I can take out all his mid and low irons. So, I’m going to be left with no I don’t know what he’ll be able to do. [Music] Leaking not drawing back. Wind is holding it. Right. Rough. It’s just rough, right? Going to be a tough shot, but it’s not bad. You may have tree trouble. [Music] Hit it, wind. That should be good. Should be fine. Yeah, sir. Good ball. Thank you. I’ve always played the TP5X. I mean, since since junior golf, just every model that came out, I’ve always loved it. I feel like I especially in junior golf and amateur golf, I feel like I hit the ball pretty high and I feel like when when you hit it that high at those stages, it kind of spins a little too much when it lands. But you feel like you’re a high spin player. Uh I’m I don’t really think I’m that high, but I just feel like I hit the ball high. Um, but I mean with this new ball, I feel like there’s definitely some more more touch around the greens, at least compared to the older models, which I really like. Yeah. See, I always wanted like the least amount of spin possible. And now I I swing it a bit better. So, I might need to go to the TP5. Just a bit more spin and then just take some off. Oh, yeah. I got 120 yards um in the rough, but I’ve drawn a pretty good lie here. Um definitely going to have some less spin. So, probably going to land it say 5 yards short of the pen. I feel like I can still get decent height out of here. So, looking at trying to land it like 116, touch into the wind maybe at a yard because it’s coming from the rough. It’s not going to spin as much. and then trying to go maybe one yard right of it. There is more green left, but it kind of runs away toward the water. [Music] Good looking shot. Might need to go a touch. Looked like it rode up the face a little bit short. Wow. It kind of stuck too. Didn’t really roll out. Oh, it’s fine, though. It’s not drawing. That’s a fade. That is going to be a really tough putt. There. Oh, I need more. That’s a, you know. All right. It’s not bad. It’s a good leaf. I would love to dial my speed in right here. He did not hit that very hard. Oh boy. This is uh like I said, don’t be surprised if I leave it short. This part would rather have I would rather have yours. like that. That’s Yeah. Oh my gosh. Oh, it snapped. I’m going to leave that one for later. Can’t believe that broke that much. Well done. Then you just take out whatever you want to take out. I’m going to go for the same strat that he’s going for. Basically playing for hole 17 cuz we got a bunch of drivers coming in and then just a bit of everything through the bag. But wind is going to be a little down. You know, I’m going to take his wedge out just to be safe. Um I think this is what he would be using there. So, we’ll throw this in the other bag. [Music] It’s 164 to the pen. I’m going to hit nine iron. Um, that’s pretty stock nine for me. I might have to take a little bit off just to land it a couple short. Have it roll up. That pin’s kind of in a weird spot. If you go left more than three yards left, it’s going to go all the way down the hill. So definitely trying to keep the ball right at the pin. Obviously need um good distance control as well. So I have eight. That’s a lot of club cuz it is downwind. I took his nine. I closed the face. Oh, it’s hanging left. Oh, that’s a bad bounce. What a bounce again. Oh my goodness. That’s going to be a fun putt. Oh my goodness. Oh, it’s turning just a little left. Kick left. Oh, it kick left. That is Oh my gosh. That is down by me. Look at that. Look at that ball go. [Music] Oh my god, it almost went in. Yeah, you should give that to me. Yeah, that’s good. Oh no, I just completely mis hit that. Oh, just catch catch an iteration mark. Catch a catch something. I told myself before the putt, just get it up there, even if it’s 10 ft by. Has it stopped rolling? No, it’s still going. It’s It’s It stopped. Oh, I apologize. Oh, no. For the state of my putting. I promise you, I’ve been working on it. I’ll continue to work on it. But just got to keep trying our best here. That one looks decent. Still, that’s what I should have done the first time. All right, another win. Well, I got to make this, right? Oh, yeah, you do. Hold on. Let me take this pin out real quick. Oh, no. Oh, no. Sit. Sit. Can you just give that to me? Yeah. You know what? Is that inside the circle of friendship? Yeah, that’s good. That’s what I was afraid of. Those clubs. I was afraid of that. Oh no. I’m going to take out all of your options for 17. Two clubs. Taking out all your options. Gap wedge with the nine. So maybe there’s a bit more spin. Yes. And I’ll take out the 56 after this hole. Will he? Yeah, I will. [Music] Where are the wind? Kick left. Oh god, that could be gone. I might be just Oh, this might be unplayable. This could be that’s dead up there. I’ve done the same. But it might get lucky. Wind. Hit it. Wind. Oh boy. It’s going to be a recovery off over there. Oh my gosh. I didn’t think the ball was going to go that far. Wow, that’s thick. That is thick. I couldn’t get a seven iron out. Oh, still very thick. Sounded nice. No, it’s left. It’s left. That’s fine. Good. Good distance. Oh, no. It checks. Not bad. All right, take that. It’s a putt. All right. Wow. Oh, there has ever been a must make. This is it. The 56 is coming out if this misses. Oh, complete misread. Another wedge comes out. We are grinding out here. I mean, I think I just have to take out his 56 that it’s just really I have nothing to say about that. There’s nothing else I can really do here. Could hit anything in this hole in the next. So, 56 it is. [Music] So, I think Carl and I both play the Qi 35 LS head. Um, I mean, it went pretty smoothly when it went when we went through the fittings. Um, we did have to make a couple changes with like weights and lie angles um to to help with spin. Uh, but I mean it’s just so important to go fit it because if we didn’t then I mean I was hitting kind of some knucklers right off the bat. But now it’s great thanks to the help of Tailor Made. And I mean I’m very dialed in with the driver now and really like where it’s at. Oh, did you go over those trees? The first ones? Oh, that’s in the bunker. That’s fine. [Music] Nice ball. Thanks. There he is. The bomb cut. Oh, Carl’s taking all all my short irons. So, I got 154. I’ve got eight iron now. I would probably hit a very soft 9 iron, but I can’t do that anymore. Hang on. Took way too much off of it. This is starting to be tough. Yeah, like right here, I have to hit a thin pitching wedge. I caught it kind of thin. Is that there’s front edge? Yeah. Very nice shot. Nice. Going to have to dump and run something here. Don’t have Obviously, this is a weird stance, but I mean, try our best. Go. Yeah. Not bad from there. Oh, no. Oh yes. I thought that one was in. That looks really good. That’s good. I see one thing on one side and then I see something on the other. So is so in his head right now. Look at him. He’s He’s in shambles. I’ve guessed so many times. Nice. It can be done. Okay. This is a chip off since we tied. Uh Carl went first last time, so I’m going to go first here. I was in one of these just over there. This gives me like TGL vibes with this bunker and just like placing it. Spin. Oh, it’s delightful. That is going to be tough to beat. All right. Really needed that. Oh, he’s going for the make. All right. Yes, I won a hole. It’s going to be going to be dense with a wind. So, definitely taking away the pitching wedge 100%. [Music] We got just the perfect wind for this T- ball here. Mike’s definitely just ripping a high draw. Executed well. It’s not drawing though, dude. Why is it not drawing? I don’t know. Mike asking myself the same thing. It got a kick left. Yeah. So, should be semi probably landing. Hello. Oh, was hoping for that ball to draw a little bit, but hitting it slightly off the heel there. Well, I’ve been hitting it right. Okay. Carl’s probably looking to do the same as same as me, but obviously a little bit more of a left line. That’s same line. The same exact line. Maybe a touch more left. Carl’s got better eyes than me, so he can always see it bounce. Yeah. Should be good. Should be. Oh, there you go. It’s recording. Is it? Yeah. Oh, is that Wait, it’s both ways. Yeah, it’s both ways. Look, we got Check out the cart stock. Got my player Stanley. I guess this is water. I thought they gave me a beer. You old enough to drink water? I mean, yeah, barely. They were up the right side of this of this uh pole, which is so far away from the car path. But yeah, I was tempted to almost take out like a long iron out of your bag, but you know, we want to have some recycling on 17. POV taking relief. I kind of want it on this downrain. My nearest point is going to be right here. All right, watch this drop, guys. Could have been better. That is so thick in play. Wow, that went like 50 yards. I don’t even know if that got into the fairway. Just got to got to hope for a water ball. Carl’s going to be aiming left. Oh. Oh my god. Is it going to carry? I think it will. Oh, it did. Oh my gosh. That is unreal. Oh, I’m dead. Yeah, you you’re dead here. I’m messed up. That was awesome. Thanks, man. I got only two clubs left at the bottom half of my bag. 168 iron. So, I just decided to walk up. I don’t need anything else from the cart. Oh, please be as good as you look. It’s long. Hit it too hard. Okay, here it comes. That looks really good. Never mind. Great pace. No late left swing. We’ll see that putt even though it’s like he’ll probably want to see that. He needs to at this point, but he needs to make this one. Love to see it kill him. It’s on a good line. It’s just a hit a little. Oh, had to give it a run. Bro is still away. I’m just going to tap mine in. Go ahead and tap it in. We could go good. Good. No. Yeah. Oh, no. We’ll we’ll go good. Good. That’s good. My brain is in shambles. I’m worried. [Music] 17. Here we are. Um, this is what we’ve been playing this whole match for with the club choices is for this hole. And we we’ve we’ve come here with few options in the bag. It’s going to be uh cool playing this with a different different club. I mean, it’s all the grand stands are kind of gone right now, but like what a treat it is to come out in the morning at this place and just play this iconic three-hole stretch. This is probably one of my favorite holes of all time. It’s just so so special. Um, usually it’s easy with a wedge, but Mike’s going to have a seven iron and I’m I’ve got a few more options thankfully. But I think you’re going to be just fine. Seven iron from like 140 is like panicking right now. Okay, here you go. I’ll take I’ll take that. I’m just going to give eight iron out. He’s got a seven iron left and a 60. I have an eight iron still, but you know, that’s probably what I would kind of be hitting here regardless. Um, so it’s definitely made this tougher. It is good that it is into the wind. That gives us some hope. If this was downwind, we would have no chance. I think that’s safely aboard. That looks good. That looks on. That’s a great shot. Center of the green. Center of the green. I’m trying to like do the math in my head like this. I’m taking 40 yards off of this basically, but I don’t I think I really just have to look at it, feel it. Kind of just like a punch shot from the trees. Just get on the green. I’ll feel really good about that. That might lowkey need to go. Oh my gosh. You know what? I’m gonna That looks so good, too. He’s going to choose to just drop on the I’m Yeah, I’m I’m retaining. I’m going to conquer this hole. He doesn’t really have a good option from the drop zone. Tin cup. I’m going to be here until I run out of balls. I’m going to make it. That looks a little long. It does. Sit. Oh, that’s good. I’m going to chalk that one up as a W for me here. Unless I three jiggle. But Mike’s lost five clubs. All wedges and an eight iron. And I’ve lost three. And he’s going to lose more. Yeah. Oh, that was quick. Oh my god. I mean, what is this pin? Oh my goodness. Oh, it’s it’s not it’s not done. It’s not done. Oh. Oh, that’s right by me. Oh my god, [Applause] dude. Nice. All right. Just so easy. And it hangs out. I’m giving myself that. I think I’ve I could be approaching 30 putts. This is getting a bit out of hand. I mean, yeah, we might have to cut the rest of the the last You’re going to have That’s three clubs there. Is it? Yeah. Just make it bad for me. I’m gonna I’m gonna try to make it as as bad. Make it really bad. I promise I’m I’m I’m better. I’m better than this. Yeah, you’re you’re better than this. Just a You’re not seeing them going in. No. It’s tough. It’s a bad day to not see him go in. Oh, decisions. Decisions. He’s going to probably hit driver. I’ll force him into a driver. I’ll take out his 4-wood, his three iron, 60. [Music] Well, hole 18 straight into the wind. I’m very glad that I have the driver that I have because it fights the wind pretty good. Pretty low spin. I think yours is pretty similar. Yeah. Yep. I feel like we have pretty similar numbers overall. Um I’m going to T one a little lower here cuz I kind of kind of like hitting it low in the face when it’s into the wind. Feel like it keeps it lower. Oh, that’s a water ball. That’s water. That’s a nice ball. Should be short of that stuff there. Yeah. Very nice. Thank you. And I’m dropping about 80 yards up. This hole is unbelievable. What a finishing hole. This was crazy. Just like imagine what Rory and JJ Spawn had to kind of go with. Like I mean it was blowing like 30 at the same direction. Like going I get the heebiejibbies with just that. Just trying to win here. Like what an unbelievable experience that must be. I hit it about as good as I possibly could. Go. Oh, it’s up. And it’s pin high. It’s good that for par and it stayed on the green. All the all the above is good for that. Mike Mike doesn’t look too happy in the card over there. It’s drawn. All right. Well, you won this one, Carl. He also won first PJ tour event couple months ago, month ago or something like that. Yeah. Want to kind of walk me through what I need to do in order to kind of follow in your footsteps there cuz that was a great overall a great week and then especially down the stretch that that was incredible the way you kind of just persevered through that bogey on what 12 or something. 12 a silly bogey. Yeah. Appreciate it, man. Um, yeah. It just felt like one of those weeks where you have something in mind, like a game plan in mind, and it was just executed really well. Like, I just didn’t make a lot of bogeies. Um, and I just kind of kept it on the right side of the course. Like, I just always kind of had a shot. Um, and then, yeah, down the stretch was huge. I just hit a lot of quality shots and made some putts. And it when at the end of the day, all it comes down to is like making putts. Like if you make putts, it’s just so easy to get confidence to the rest of the bag. I have a seven. I don’t have any clubs left. I don’t really got anything to say else than uh just hit and hope. Uh just stay just stay on the green. Is that in the bunker? This is going to be interesting. This next one. Oh, that’s dirty. That’s really good. I’ll take it. Look how long this div shortsided seven iron bunker shot to 8 ft. That’s all I can comment on. I mean, it hurts to play poorly, but then Oh, it’s low. You’re penalized this much by not even having all your clubs to use. Take a five there. There’s really nothing like it. There’s something in my line. This would be a sick up and down. Nothing wants to go in the hole. No, I’m saving it for another day. Yeah, Carl, an absolute pleasure. Y little change of pace. Yeah, that was Yeah, I actually quite enjoyed that game. Oh, you did? Yeah, I did personally. Well, I I did too, but I want to be on your side of uh the match where you’re taking out the clubs rather than It’s always next time. Yeah. All right, let’s let’s take a look at this damage. I’m going to first I won that hole. I’m going to take out the seven iron. So, now Mike’s bag is looking like that extra bag you have in your apartment with just spare clothes. Yeah. And there’s only four of them left. Yeah, that that escalated quickly. So, I would have would have loved to play extra nine holes there. Just drive. Yeah, it got you. You went through it. Yeah, I think as soon as I kind of messed up on the green on was it 13. That’s kind of Yeah, when I think when he took away two clubs there um needed those um the next two holes and then obviously for 17. Um, but yeah, I mean, I think this this was definitely a fun game, a change of pace, and yeah, I definitely recommend getting up early cuz Yeah, cuz this is what’s going to happen if you don’t. The more I look at this bag, the more I kind of laugh. There’s there’s just nothing in there. Is there going to be a rematch? I would love to do a rematch. Totally. On the back nine again. I need to rematch. Yeah. After that, Mike needs some [Music]