In January 2024, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy will introduce their own golf league, called TGL, and the new course is being compared favorably to the LIV Golf structure.
Following the creation of their own team golf league, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have been accused by supporters of imitating their competitors at LIV Golf.
24 of the best golfers in the world, including Woods and McIlroy, will compete in TGL, which is scheduled to begin play in January, over a novel 15-week circuit. The league will be held off-site from the golf course, with players battling it out in a cutting-edge stadium with a simulator and indoor chipping and putting green.
The format and regulations for TGL’s inaugural season, which begins in less than two months, were revealed by the organization on Tuesday. The 24 players will be divided into six teams and will face off against one another every week.
Many in the golf industry, including the PGA Tour, have applauded the new concept, but some have already drawn comparisons to the LIV setup. Author and golf writer Alan Shipnuck made the analogy in jest on X on Tuesday.
“A team-based breakaway league using an unconventional format to court new and younger fans?” was the tweet sent by Shipnuck. I feel as though I’ve heard this before. Many golf enthusiasts have also quickly drawn parallels between the Saudi-funded league and golf.
Taking to social media, one fan wrote: “This really does look like a complete copy of LIV and the worst part of LIV as well,” whilst another X user went on to add: “Oh but the TGL is okay, pga [Tour] is copying LIV cause they are terrible and lack creativity to do something cool.”
Both McIlroy and Woods have been two of LIV Golf’s biggest critics, having remained loyal to the PGA Tour during professional golf’s lengthy dispute. In particular, the two TGL founders had taken aim at the Saudi-funded league’s CEO Greg Norman, after calling for the Australian to step aside from his role in order for the two tours to peacefully co-exist.
A year ago, McIlroy stated at the DP World Tour Championship, “I believe Greg [Norman] needs to go.” All he has to do, in my opinion, is go stage left. He’s left his mark, but I believe this is the appropriate moment to state, “You’ve got this thing off the ground, but until there’s an adult in the room who can actually try to mend fences, nobody’s going to talk.”
Woods agreed and said, “As Rory said, I think Greg’s got to leave. Then, hopefully, we can have a stay between the two lawsuits and figure something out. But if you are facing legal action, why would you make any changes?
“They initially sued us. I recognize that there may be a chance if both organizations place a stay on their legal action, but that’s the catch—they have to do so.” Subsequent to the Tour’s June announcement that it had reached a framework agreement with its rival’s sole backer, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), the PGA Tour and LIV seemed to have set their differences aside.
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