Two of the biggest names in golf will have a major role in the PGA Tour's plight against LIV as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy spearhead a fresh competition called TGL.
TMRW Sports—a new company formed by Woods and McIlroy—announced the arrival of TGL on Wednesday. The PGA-accredited contest will showcase six teams each consisting of three players and will be played in a 'custom-built venue'.
The competition will tee off in January 2024 and plans to host 15 Monday night events, as well as featuring a play-off format. TGL advertises itself as a 'high-tech golf league', where events will take less than two hours to complete.
“I am excited to work with TMRW Sports in bringing people more access to sports,” said golf great Woods. “So many athletes, entertainers and people I meet from all walks of life share our passion for sports, but they also share our desire to build a better future for the next generation of sports fans."
The announcement comes after the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Series has lured a number of PGA stars away from the sport's establishment, with many complaining the PGA Tour hasn't moved with the times. Woods continued: “Together, we can harness technology to bring fresh approaches to the sports we love.”
Both McIlroy and Woods have been vocal in their opposition of the LIV Golf Series in recent months. The former suggested in June that players are only leaving for LIV with the prospect of earning "boatloads of cash," while 15-time major-winner Woods questioned the motivation of playing the no-cut, 54-hole competition.
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The emphasis on technology and prioritising the fan experience flies against the suggestion that the PGA is unwilling to modernise. Since the emergence of LIV, the long-established golf body has also increased the prize purses at numerous events, with more lucrative autumn contests in the pipeline.
“For the last few years off the course I’ve been focused on helping to lead golf into its digital future," said McIlroy on Wednesday. "In a world where technology provides us with so many choices for using our time, we want to make sports more accessible for as many people as possible.”
With Woods and McIlroy already signed up to the new-look league, other big names look certain to follow in the next 14 months or so. "I just think it's going to be a really cool concept," added McIlroy. "Tiger and I are incredibly excited."
