Had golf fans been told that the playoffs in the first season of TGL would not include either Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy, they may well have been extremely worried for the league.
There is absolutely no question at all that Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were the two biggest attractions heading into TGL. The pair were amongst the league’s co-founders, and they both made sure to attend the opening match – despite not playing.
Nevertheless, it has been a tough campaign for both men in the SoFi Center, with neither Jupiter Links or Boston Common making the playoffs. And it is probably fair to say that neither player was able to stand out – with Woods’ greatest moment arguably coming when he stood over a 199 yard shot believing that he had 99 yards to the pin.
TGL is clearly not going to be for every fan. Anyone with an interest in golf will know of at least one person who simply cannot get on board with the concept. But that is not the case for everyone.
Tiger Woods issues his verdict on the first season of TGL
There have been some outstanding moments – which simply would not happen on the golf course at a standard PGA Tour event. One of the reasons Kevin Kisner‘s thinned bunker shot was so spectacular was because fans got to hear Woods’ reaction.
And speaking after Jupiter Links’ final game, Woods suggested that he has been extremely pleased with how the first year has played out.
“As an overall big picture of this, we’re trying to grow the game into different demographics, and I think we have. This indoor simulation here is – I think has brought more youth to the game. The fact that we’re able to play on ESPN and during primetime, we don’t get a chance to do that very often,” he said.
“We had some late matches, ones that are 9:00 to 11:00, so the fact that we haven’t had golf at those times because we don’t really have that with our daylight schedule, to be able to do that and grow the game and showcase it and showcase these guys – these guys have bought into the concept, bought into the clubs, the teams they play for, and you see the teamwork on each team, how the players communicate. They’re really enjoying it.
“I hope everyone who’s watching – I’ve watched every match that I wasn’t playing in, and it was neat to see – these are the guys that I know. These are the personalities that I’ve seen on Tour. But I think the fans are going to be able to see them in a different way.”
LIV Golf stars amongst those to keep an eye on as TGL looks to evolve in its second year
By the end of the month, TGL will be done for the entire year. So it is fair to say that so much could get done by the time the league returns in 2026.
The obvious potential change concerns the players who could be available to the league. Right now, TGL is linked with the PGA Tour. But within a few months, perhaps there will be scope for some of the biggest stars on LIV Golf to get involved in one way or another.
There should also be a league for LPGA players. The LPGA has been accused of not capitalising on the momentum they have gained from the popularity of players like Nelly Korda in recent months. So providing fans with the chance to see more personality from their best players could perhaps be a real game-changer.
TGL is far from perfect at this stage. But many will admit that the first season has gone a lot better than they would have anticipated.
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