TGL, the new made-for-TV indoor golf league set up by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, has announced four new player signings in the wake of the Ryder Cup in Rome.
TGL added European Ryder Cup team members Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Shane Lowry to the team sheet, along with rising US star Tom Kim.
The new signings take the tally of players signed up to TGL to 16, with only two more players required to fill out the three-man, six-team roster.
Players already signed up include Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Billy Horschel, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Matt Fitzpatrick and Adam Scott.
Fleetwood said: “I have been excited about the TGL since it was announced. Many of my fondest memories in golf have been playing in team competitions. With the players who have already been announced along with the names and stature of the ownership groups and investors, the league is in position to showcase our sport in a cool format to a new group of viewers and fans.”
TGL presented by SoFi is a new primetime golf league in partnership with the PGA TOUR that will begin play in 2024. The latest player announcement was made by TMRW Sports co-founder and CEO Mike McCarley.
“The excitement of team golf was on display at last week’s Ryder Cup and we are thrilled to carry some of that momentum into the 2024 TGL season,” said McCarley. “Not only are Tommy, Tyrrell, Shane and Tom some of the best competitors and players in the world, but all four bring unique personalities to the sport. Momentum and excitement for the TGL continue to soar.”
TGL has also unveiled a TV rights agreement with ESPN, which has announced a multi-year partnership for rights to show the action in the United States. As part of the announcement, TGL is set to kick off its inaugural season on January 9, with the second match scheduled for January 16.
There will be 15 matches played throughout 2024 — taking the format of a round-robin schedule where each team competes against one another once — before semi-finals and finals matches. All the matches, which will take around two hours to complete, will be played in a newly announced SoFi Center at Palm Beach State College in Florida — a still-under-construction arena named after the league’s headline sponsor that will house nearly 2,000 fans on match nights.
Play will take place on a football field-sized arena, with a 64ft x 46ft simulator screen. Players will play full-swing shots into the screen for woods and most irons, then will play proper short game shots into an area roughly the size of a basketball court. Players will also be wearing microphones to enhance the fan experience.