Talk about a unique concept from one of the current best golfers on the planet, and arguably the greatest golfer of all time.
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have announced their brand new tech-infused golf league partnership with the PGA Tour, called the TGL, according to ESPN.
The league will consist of six three-man teams in 15 regular-season matches, along with a playoff, and it’ll all kickstart in January of 2024.
The TGL league will have two-hour, 18-hole matches on virtual golf courses, and will be played on Monday nights on prime time television in a custom-made venue that has yet to be disclosed.
The venues will feature a golf simulator that players will hit their shots into, and an authentic green that will be used for chipping and putting.
Matches will more than likely happen between January and April of 2024, and the teams will compete five times throughout the 15 weeks.
On top of that, Woods is also planning to compete in the matches, even though he is still in the process of getting back to normal after his brutal car wreck last year.
McIlroy said:
“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.”
Woods also shared in a statement the league will be the “next evolution within professional golf.”
He shared:
“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.
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.”
McIlroy also added that the league will be an opportunity for fans to interact with players a lot more than before, and that players will also have a chance to have ownership stakes in the league as well:
“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.”
Could you imagine? This will be a great opportunity for fans to see friendly matches between professional golfers, on a much more personal scale.
Buckle up.
