A power glitch at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach, Florida, in November 2023 meant that the much-anticipated TGL League debut was postponed from January 2024 to 2025. TMRW Sports, the brainchild of golfers Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, and sports executive Mike McCarley, partnered with the PGA TOUR to create the futuristic virtual golf league. The one-of-a-kind SoFi Center will be the first TGL venue, built in partnership with Palm Beach State College and overseen by CAA Icon. Construction began in February 2023, incorporating educational and recreational facilities, but the power mishap last November deflated the structure’s air-supported roof, causing significant damage.
Investors
The PGA TOUR, alongside McIlroy, Woods, and McCarley, formally announced the formation of the TGL golf league on August 24, 2022. Many big names in sports, entertainment, and media quickly spotted a lucrative investment opportunity and hopped aboard swiftly. Among them are NBA stars Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, Andre Iguodala, MLB players Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, and tennis great Serena Williams. Other famous sports personalities on the investment list include WNBA player Diana Taurasi, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton. Media and entertainment heavyweights include Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, and pop artist Justin Timberlake.
League Format and Broadcasting
TGL promises the ultimate display of advanced tech and live action, featuring six teams comprising four PGA TOUR players each, bringing the roster to 24. Each game will run for two hours in a modern match-play format, with three players representing each team. Golfers will play 15 holes over two sessions: 9 holes for triples and 6 for singles. Each hole will contribute one point claimed by the team with the fewest shots. There will be no carryovers, and ties will be worth no points. The team with the most points after 15 holes will claim victory, and in case of a tie, a 3-vs-3 closest-to-the-pin competition will decide the winner.
The league will run alongside the PGA TOUR schedule, featuring fifteen regular season matches and ending with the semi-finals and a final match. After securing a multi-year deal, ESPN Inc. will be the official broadcaster, with all matches streaming on ESPN+ and airing on ESPN or ESPN2 in primetime on Monday and Tuesday nights. Golfers will compete on a data-rich virtual course featuring an ultra-modern short game complex, offering a treat to fans in the stands and home viewers. The first-of-its-kind league will offer a fresh approach to golf gameplay, focusing on innovation, technology, and fan engagement.
Teams and Player Roster
The six teams are from six cities, each enjoying independent ownership and featuring four pro golfers. The teams include:
- Los Angeles Golf Club
The first announced team was the Los Angeles Golf Club, owned by Alexis Ohanian and sisters Serena and Venus Williams. So far, the team has already signed its first two players – Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala, with the other two pending announcements.
- Atlanta Drive GC
Atlanta Drive GC is armed and ready to uphold Georgia’s rich golf history. Arthur Blank owns the team, which boasts an inspiring brand and dynamic logo. All four players, namely Lucas Glover, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas, and Billy Horschel, have been announced.
- Boston Common Golf
The third team is Boston Common Golf, owned by Fenway Sports Group. The four stars teeing it off for the team are Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, and Keegan Bradley.
- Jupiter Links Golf Club
Jupiter Links Golf Club will represent the treasure coast of Florida, owned by Tiger Woods and David Blitzer. Naturally, Tiger Woods is the first player on the roster, with the remaining three pending confirmation.
- TGL New York
Hedge fund manager Steve Cohen owns the TGL New York team. The brand, official team name, and roster will be announced later.
- TGL San Francisco
The sixth team is TGL San Francisco, owned by Marc Lasry and Stephen Curry. The roster, brand, and official team name will similarly be communicated at a later date.
Other Players
All 24 players for the inaugural TGL season had been confirmed before Jon Rahm pulled out after joining LIV Golf. Out of the remaining 23, eleven have already signed for teams as outlined above, and the remaining twelve are Cameron Young, Xander Schauffele, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Min Woo Lee, Kevin Kisner, Tom Kim, Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Wyndham Clark.
Parting Shot
Although fans will have to wait a year longer to catch the TGL league’s action, experts predict that the new outfit will impact golf gameplay. The ongoing talks of a merger between the PGA TOUR and LIV Golf may also affect the player roster, seeing that only PGA players are eligible to join. The indoor golf league leverages technology and innovation to offer fans what promises to be a mind-blowing dose of futuristic virtual golf.