The latest commits to the new tech-focused golf league are bringing some gold with them.
The last two Olympic gold medalists, Xander Schauffele and Justin Rose, are joining the TGL, the primetime golf league in partnership with the PGA Tour. It will begin play in 2024. Schauffele and Rose make it 11 players committed of the 18 spots, joining Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who are leading the league, and Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Adam Scott, Collin Morikawa, Matt Fitzpatrick, Max Homa and Billy Horschel.
Rose, who won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for his first win in four years earlier this month, has 11 wins in his career and won the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion. He won the gold medal in Rio de Janiero.
“TGL’s approach of merging technology and golf is the innovative thinking that I believe will help the sport evolve and continue to appeal to a broader base of fans,” Rose said in a release. “And my team experiences in the Ryder Cup have always been highlights of my career, so layering in the team format with TGL was a big motivator for me getting involved.”
Schauffele, who won the 2020 Olympic gold medal in Tokyo, has seven PGA Tour wins, including three last season.
Added Schauffele: “As the golf landscape continues to change, being a part of TGL is exciting and it is another great opportunity for me to test my skills against the best players in the world,” Schauffele said. “It is also going to be a lot of fun with the unique environment they are building and being able to compete regularly in a team format.”
In August, following nearly two years of development, Woods, McIlroy, and former Golf Channel president Mike McCarley announced the formation of TMRW Sports and TGL. TGL will showcase team competitions from a purpose-built Palm Beach, Florida, venue. Here’s a short primer on how the league, which is expected to broadcast in primetime on Monday nights:
- Teams: Six teams of three PGA Tour players in head-to-head, match play
- Tech-Infused Venue: A first-of-its-kind venue for golf enabled by a data-rich, virtual course combined with a tech-infused, short-game complex
- Tech-Enabled Fan Experience: High-energy, greenside fan experience with every shot live within a 2-hour, primetime televised match
- Season: Primetime play for 15 regular season Monday night matches followed by semifinals and finals.
