Together with friend Rory McIlroy, golf legend Tiger Woods has launched a new league that they hope will compete with fierce rivals and the heavily funded LIV Golf.
As part of his new venture with Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods has announced that he will be playing golf again in January when they launch The Golf League.
The legendary golfer expressed his excitement on Tuesday about joining the Jupiter, Florida-based team and being a part of the league. “It’s an exciting chapter for me to have the chance to own a team and compete for Jupiter,” Woods stated.
As things stand, the TGL is scheduled to begin on January 9, 2024, with six teams competing for the $21 million (£17.1 million) prize fund. The remaining $9 million (£7.33m) will be split among the league’s other five teams, with the winning team taking home $9 million.
In addition to Jupiter Link GC, the other teams in the league are the Boston Common, of which McIlroy is a member; the Atlanta Drive; the Los Angeles Golf Club, which is fronted by a group that includes Michelle Wie West and Alex Morgan as limited partners and is led by Serena and Venus Williams; a team based in New York; and a team based in San Francisco, which is led by Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and private equity executive Marc Lasry.
The league is scheduled to start in two months, but there are still details to work out regarding team names, branding, and who will play on those teams in the end. Nevertheless, Woods thinks that the two-hour matches and the technology will attract spectators who are interested in golf but may not know where to begin.
“Playing golf typically takes five to six hours,” said Woods. It is difficult for anyone in the modern world to go more than five or six hours without checking their phone, given the prevalence of smartphones. Therefore, it is better the shorter the time.”
The 47-year-old also revealed that the TGL will incorporate sports betting as part of its ecosystem to draw in more fans.
“It’s exciting that this group of guys is coming together for a two-hour window and we’re just going to basically hit balls, talk a lot of (trash) and people are going to be gambling on absolutely everything, each and every shot. Every shot there’s going to be a wager,” Woods said.
He also added that because of the format – with teams going head-to-head for nine holes – it will be easier for fans to get invested, as opposed to some of the other, more confusing formats currently available.
“I couldn’t understand what the hell was going on with some of the stuff I’ve seen in LIV,” he remarked. “It’s really easy here.”
It’s a positive sign for the golf legend that Woods is back in the game after missing out on The Masters in April.
There will also be plenty of intrigue as Woods and McIlroy lead the league in its attempt to change the way golf has been played, given that his return coincides with the start of his new golf league.
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