Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy through TMRW Sports announced the launch of TGL, a new tech-infused golf league in partnership with the PGA Tour.
TGL will showcase team matches fusing advanced tech and live action from a custom-built venue in primetime on Monday nights, which will complement the current PGA Tour schedule.
For now, only Woods and McIlroy are the first two golfers committed to competing and the league’s inaugural season will kick off in January 2024.
Woods said: “TGL is the next evolution within professional golf, and I am committed to helping lead it into the future. Embracing technology to create this unique environment gives us the ability to move our sport into primetime on a consistent basis alongside so many of sports’ biggest events. As a big sports fan myself, I’m excited about blending golf with technology and team elements common in other sports. We all know what it’s like to be in a football stadium or a basketball arena where you can watch every play, every minute of action unfold right in front of you. It’s something that inherently isn’t possible in traditional golf — and an aspect of TGL that will set it apart and appeal to a new generation of fans.”
McIlroy said: “I have the utmost respect for the game of golf, and the TGL, while rooted in the traditions of the game, is taking a bold step into the increasingly tech-fueled future of sports. TGL will tap into the appeal of team golf within an exciting, fan-friendly environment, comparable to sitting courtside at an NBA game. TGL will widen the appeal of golf to younger and more diverse fans and serve as another avenue to introduce people to the game I love.” PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan said: “The TOUR has been committed to aligning our athletes with innovative technology and this initiative combines that vision with a unique golf atmosphere. A primetime experience featuring PGA TOUR players will help attract a broader audience to our sport and the world’s greatest players.”
TMRW Sports CEO and founder Mike McCarley said: “We’re blending a sport with 600 years of history with technology on a grand stage, built specifically for a live, primetime competition. This innovative league provides fans a fresh, short-form version of golf in an unmatched coliseum environment designed for a modern audience. We began working on this concept nearly two years ago and we’re happy to be unveiling it today with Tiger and Rory, golf’s two biggest stars.”
