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Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy on Wednesday announced the launch of a tech-infused golf league in partnership with the PGA Tour. According to the announcement, the league brought forth by the ace golfers will feature players competing in a new and short format. The new-age tournament featuring 15 games is set to kick off in January 2024.
The new league, named the TGL, will feature 18-hole matches. According to its makers, TMRW Sports, TGL matches will take place exclusively on Monday nights in a custom-made virtual venue. It is pertinent to note that the big announcement came along with the PGA Tour's structural overhaul. Notably, on Wednesday, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced significant changes to the existing tour structure.
The announcement came amid the raging PGA Tour-LIV Golf debate. Following this, Jay Monahan and Rory McIlroy addressed the media and said that the PGA Tour is committed to securing the future of golf.
It is also noteworthy that the significant announcements, including the TGL, came after Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy spearheaded a series of meetings between the big-name pros of the sport. The duo had earlier called on players to rally support for the PGA as many began defecting to the multi-million-dollar LIV Golf series.
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy announce TGL
TGL was announced on Wednesday as an add-on competition coming to professional golf. Headed by ace golfers Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, the league will bring forth a special stadium-style team golf event. TGL will have 15 two-hour-long, 18-hole, regular-season matches.
Along with the announcement, TGL also released renderings indicating that the venues will be virtual. As per the images, TGL will feature a simulator into which players will hit shots. The matches will be held on Monday nights between January and April.
The newly introduced game's format will also be special, featuring 18 players divided into six teams. Each team will compete five times during the 15-week schedule for exciting prizes.
While speaking about the new league, Rory McIlroy added that TMRW Sports CEO Mike McCarley first contacted him. According to McIlroy, the company looks to televise the matches along with a feature for fans to bet on the games. The Northern Ireland native noted that McCarley has been working on the project for the past two years.
Speaking about the ambitious new league, McIlroy said it would allow PGA Tour players to interact more with fans and grow the sport. He further stated that the league would be "additive and complementary" to the PGA Tour season.
"I think it's a great opportunity for PGA Tour players to show a different side of themselves prime time on Monday night. I think it's great for brand exposure to try to engage a different audience. We've all heard about the fact of how old the golf audience is, trying to get younger eyeballs on to it."
McIlroy also hyped the league up by stating that Tiger Woods would compete in the opening season. Woods, recovering from his 2021 car crash, has decided to play in only three tournaments this season. However, McIlroy has now confirmed that Woods will still be on the pitch in 2024 with the TGL.
Speaking about Tiger Woods' role in TGL, Rory McIlroy said:
“Tiger Woods is involved,' it's like, 'Yeah, I think that would be pretty cool'… Who knows where we're going to see Tiger Woods play golf next, right? We don't know what his schedule is going to be. We don't know how his body is going to be. But to be able to see him still showcase his skills on prime time, on TV without really any wear and tear on his body, I think to be able to see Tiger hit golf shots and still sort of provide people with a glimpse of his genius -- I think it is a really good use of his time."
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods confirmed the same in a statement. The PGA Tour champ went on to laud the TGL and called it the "next evolution within professional golf."
"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.”
Woods added:
“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."
While the new league seems exciting on paper, fans are eagerly waiting for it to become a reality. While the makers have termed the short-form league an exercise to excite youngsters, many traditional golf fans have criticized it.
