Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have unveiled their plans to launch ‘TGL,’ a golf league set to debut in January 2024. This upcoming circuit has drawn comparisons to the established LIV Golf setup. In a recent announcement by TGL’s leadership, the format and rules for the inaugural season have been revealed. It will feature 24 players divided into six teams, competing against one another each week. The move by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy has sparked accusations from fans of emulating their counterparts at LIV Golf by creating their own team golf league according to themirror.com.uk.
TGL, scheduled for a January launch, will witness 24 of the world’s top golfers, including Woods and McIlroy, battling it out on a groundbreaking 15-week circuit. What sets this league apart is that it will not be played on traditional golf courses. Instead, players will compete in a cutting-edge stadium equipped with simulators, in-house chipping and putting areas.
While the innovative concept has earned praise from various quarters in the golfing world, including the PGA Tour, some individuals have been quick to draw parallels with the LIV Golf setup. Prominent golf writer and author Alan Shipnuck humorously highlighted the resemblance, stating, “A team-based breakaway league using an unorthodox format to court new and younger fans? Feel like I’ve heard this before.” Many golf enthusiasts have also noted the similarities to the Saudi-funded league.
One fan expressed their opinion on social media, saying, “This really does look like a complete copy of LIV and the worst part of LIV as well.” Another user added, “Oh, but the TGL is okay, the PGA [Tour] is copying LIV because they are terrible and lack creativity to do something cool.”
Interestingly, both McIlroy and Woods have been vocal critics of LIV Golf, remaining loyal to the PGA Tour throughout professional golf’s prolonged dispute. They specifically criticized Greg Norman, the CEO of the Saudi-funded league, and called for his resignation to facilitate peaceful coexistence between the two tours. McIlroy emphasized this point at the DP World Tour Championship a year ago, stating, “I think Greg [Norman] needs to go. I think he just needs to exit stage left.” Woods echoed this sentiment, adding, “As Rory said, I think Greg’s got to leave.”
A team-based breakaway league using an unorthodox format to court new and younger fans? Feel like I’ve heard this before. https://t.co/Clc9urGJr2
— Alan Shipnuck (@AlanShipnuck) October 31, 2023
Both golfers expressed the need for a resolution to the legal disputes between the organizations, but noted the challenges involved in reaching an agreement, given the ongoing litigation. Recent developments indicate that the PGA Tour and LIV Golf may be making progress in resolving their differences, following the announcement of a framework agreement with LIV Golf’s sole backer, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), in June.
