What is it?
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, as a part of their newly formed business venture TMRW Sports, along with former NBC head of golf Mike McCarley, have set up what they call a “high-tech indoor golf league” to run next year. In layman’s terms, it’s simulator golf in an arena setting. The players hit into a screen with tracking technology and then chip and putt in front of a crowd.
How does that work?
Players will hit from real grass tee boxes, fairway surfaces, rough and sand on long shots into a 64x46ft screen, roughly 20 times the size of a standard simulator. Uniquely, this takes place in a custom-made arena called the Sofi Center in Palm Beach, Florida, which covers an area of approximately 97x50 yards – similar to a soccer stadium. The ground can seat 1,600 spectators.
For shots within 50 yards, the players hit into a 3,800sq ft “green zone”, which can adapt and change its slope to play differently on each TGL hole.
What is the scoring format?
TGL is a team-based league, with 24 players split across six teams of four. Games are to be played over 15 holes. Each team will play five matches, in a 3v3 format. The first nine holes are played as a three-person foursome (taking turns to play the same ball on the hole). The final six holes are played on a player’s own ball. They each play two holes in match play.
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Each hole won is worth one point, a halved hole is worth no points, like in “Skins” games. If the match is tied, the tiebreaker is a closest-to-the-pin challenge.
The top four teams advance to the semi-finals, and the final is a best-of-three format.
Teams, eh? Sounds a bit like LIV Golf ...
It does, but the crucial difference is that TGL has been done in conjunction with the PGA Tour and is not seen as a threat to the regular world golf framework. There are no claims for world rankings points, just a new entertainment-focused style of the game aimed at getting new people into golf.
Who is playing in the TGL and what are the teams?
The 24 players announced include McIlroy and Shane Lowry.
The full list of players is: McIlroy, Woods, Lowry, Keegan Bradley, Patrick Cantlay, Wyndham Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Rickie Fowler, Lucas Glover, Tyrrell Hatton, Max Homa, Billy Horschel, Tom Kim, Kevin Kisner, Min Woo Lee, Collin Morikawa, Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott, Sahith Theegala, Justin Thomas, Cameron Young.
McIlroy’s team name has been announced as Boston Common Golf and he will play with Boston’s Keegan Bradley as well as Tyrrell Hatton and Adam Scott.
The teams are based around US cities, with Justin Thomas committed to play for Atlanta Drive GC and Morikawa for Los Angeles Golf Club. Others include TGL New York and TGL San Francisco. Investors for the teams include Stephen Curry, Serena Williams, Lewis Hamilton and Justin Timberlake.
When is it on and how can I watch it?
The first match is on Tuesday, January 9th, the second on January 16th and all matches will take place early in the week before PGA Tour events. It is “prime time” in the US, so it is likely to be on late at night in Ireland. No broadcaster has been announced yet for here. ESPN is the broadcaster for the US, while TGL has established a YouTube channel that may show highlights and other packages.
Who is missing from the league?
Unsurprisingly, no LIV players have been invited given its link to the PGA Tour. Jon Rahm was originally signed up for it and pulled out, saying on social media it would “require a level of commitment that I can’t offer”. Given all the matches are played in Florida midweek before tournaments, the list of players is heavily based around those with residences in Florida. Rahm lives in Arizona, while world number one Scottie Scheffler and three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth live in Dallas and are not taking part.
Will it be any good?
That remains to be seen. There is some scepticism already that it is a gimmicky money-spinner for the star players to stave off the threat of LIV Golf by the PGA Tour, and Morikawa’s comments this week that signing for Los Angeles Golf Club “almost topped the Ryder Cup call-up” received a backlash on social media. The key to the success of the event is to not take itself too seriously, focus on entertainment. In the best-case scenario, it should showcase the golfers’ personalities and be a quick-fire, fun sideshow to the main tour golf.
One of the main selling points, and what no doubt influenced ESPN to sign up to broadcast it, was the inclusion of Woods. Since he injured a leg in a car crash in 2021, Woods has only played five times worldwide (six if you include the JP McManus Pro-Am at Adare Manor) and has admitted he struggles to walk the 72 holes required to compete in a PGA Tour event, which isn’t an issue with a simulator. The ability to watch Tiger playing golf on a regular basis is a selling point no other league can offer at the moment.
