One of the events golf fans look set to have to look forward to over the winter is the debut season of TGL – with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy playing key roles in the formation of the league.
It is safe to say that TGL has not had the smoothest start to life since it was founded in 2022. Initially, the league was set to begin in 2024, with 24 of the world’s best players set to face off in six teams.
The indoor arena which was built to host the event sustained damage in late 2023, while TGL had to deal with both Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton jumping ship to LIV Golf having initially signed up to be involved in the project. Ultimately, the start of the league was pushed back a year, with TGL now set to begin in early 2025.
Given the names involved, it would appear to be a very exciting project. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were involved in putting the league together, while Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas are amongst those signed up to play.
Concerns about TGL
But it would appear that some still need to be convinced that there is a long-term run in TGL. Speaking on Kostis & McCord, former player and commentator Gary McCord was asked whether he thinks the league is going to be a success – and his answer was not particularly encouraging.
“I can’t predict one way or another. When you’ve got Tiger behind it, obviously you’ve got a lot of power, you’ve got a lot of showtime there. And maybe golf is now, its focus, its media focus, it’s waning obviously from all the numbers we’re getting. And we’re getting a lot of the YouTubers, they’ve got their own tournament now at tournaments,” he said.
“So there’s a fragmentation going on in the amount of eyeballs that are on the PGA Tour actually playing golf competitively for a living, the numbers don’t match what these guys are making. And YouTube is coming in, and Tiger and Rory and their TGL, that’s going to be interesting. I’m not going to say, oh yeah, it’s going to work, I don’t know, I don’t think anybody knows. They’re having trouble getting it off the ground.”
An important event for the PGA Tour
Woods and McIlroy have clearly recognised that the PGA Tour needs to make significant changes if it is going to be able to stave off the threat of LIV Golf. Whether golf fans like it or not, LIV Golf has not been afraid to try and offer something different.
TGL has the potential to capture a slightly different audience given that events are going to take much less time, with a simulator involved. And they have managed to sign up many of the top names on the PGA Tour, so they are throwing everything they can at making it a real success.
But clearly, some are not yet sure whether it is going to be a game-changer after all.
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