Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy to launch tech-driven golf tournament in 2024 to complement PGA Tour schedule
TMRW Sports – a business venture led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy – on Wednesday announced the creation of a new technology-focused golf tournament in partnership with the PGA Tour. TGL will be the latest tournament to try and gain a foothold in the golf world as it aims to modernize both the viewing and playing experience for fans and players alike.
“TGL will showcase team matches that combine cutting-edge technology and live action from a custom-built venue on Monday night into prime time, which will complement the current PGA Tour schedule. “, TMRW Sports stated in Press Release.
TGL will introduce 18-hole events played on virtual courts over a two-hour period. The regular 15 games of the season will be contested by six three-man teams of PGA Tour golfers. Woods and McIlroy already have 16 more slots to fill before the inaugural season begins in January 2024. The rest of the roster will certainly fill up quickly.
McIlroy and Mike McCarley, CEO and Founder of TMRW Sports, discussed the details of this new tournament at East Lake ahead of the 2022 Tour Championship. As it will not be played on a complete golf course When adjusted, TGL will use simulators for longer strokes – such as swings and iron swings – before the golf ball enters the arena.
“To orient yourself from a golfing point of view, you’ll see steering movements and approach shots brought into the screen,” McCarley said. It’s a commercial-sized screen, not quite the screen. IMAX image, but pretty close,” McCarley said. “The ball will be placed in the short game area and the players will play from there. That’s six teams of three PGA Tour players, so a total of 18 players and the regular season is 15 games tonight. Monday, then the semi-final and final series, and it starts in January of ’24, which is 18 months away.”
TGL
The commitment of additional players isn’t the only item not ticked off the to-do list as a venue and TV partner still needs to be identified. With so much time until the official launch, this will be just another golf competition that viewers will be able to participate in.
“TGL is the next evolution in professional golf and I am committed to helping lead it into the future. Applying technology to create this unique environment gives us the ability to bring the sport to life. our prime time consistently along with many of the biggest sports events,” Woods stated.
“As a big sports fan myself, I’m excited about combining golf with technology and the team elements common in other sports. We all know that feeling. when you’re in a football stadium or a basketball court, where you can watch every game, every minute of the action happening right in front of your eyes, which is not possible in traditional golf – and an aspect of TGL that will set itself apart and attract a new generation of fans.”
Brief about TGL
- Team: Six teams of three PGA Tour players each
- Locations where technology is used: The first golf experience enabled by a data-rich, virtual playground, complete with a technology-infused, short game complex
- Tech Support Fan Experience: Energetic fan experience, green space with every 2 hour live footage, prime time televised match
- Schedule: The regular 15 games of the season on Monday night, followed by the semi-finals and finals, starting in January 2024
McIlroy added: “I have the utmost respect for the game of golf, and TGL, while rooted in the game’s tradition, is taking a bold step into a future increasingly fueled by sport’s technology. TGL will harness the appeal of team golf in a fun, fan-friendly environment comparable to sitting golf at a golf club. NBA game. TGL will broaden the appeal of golf to a younger and more diverse fan base, while serving as another avenue to introduce people to the game I love. “
