The biggest success of the opening session was the 40-second shot clock, which helped keep the pace of the game high. Rarely did players drop it under 15 seconds. If so, a heartbeat echoed through the arena, increasing in speed as the timer approached zero.

And while the game actually felt unnecessarily rushed at times, no one violated the penalty because time was running out.

On the first nine holes of the 15-hole game, all three players from each team took turns hitting shots. Tee shots were shot at the big screen from 35 yards away, with the action moving to the short game complex once the ball was within 50 yards of the hole. After each hole, 600 motors created a new putting surface beneath the green.

Win a hole, win a point.

The New York smile was largely gone by the sixth hole as The Bay took a 6-0 lead on alternate three-shots.

New York finally got on the scoreboard when the previously missed Fitzpatrick hit a 70-foot chip in the ninth to gain range.

The final six holes were played as straight singles matches, with each pairing playing two holes.

Fowler took on Lowry, Fitzpatrick faced Wyndham Clark and Schauffele took on Swede Ludvig Aberg, with the commentator’s attempt to stir up a Ryder Cup rivalry failing.

The game ended as a competition after the 10th hole. Lowry beat Fowler to give the Bay a 7-1 lead four minutes into the game, but Clark didn’t seem to notice until his playing partners told him. However, the remaining holes were played as holes won count in the event of a tie in the league.

“I’m going to be the Scottie Scheffler of indoor golf,” laughed Lowry, who seemed to be the player most at home. Karma caught up with him on the 13th when he mishit a bunker shot. “A bit like me, a bit stocky,” he laughed.