Golf’s newest enterprise – an indoor “high-tech league” launched by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy and backed by fellow sporting superstars – will get beneath manner on Tuesday, 9 January 2024.
Fifteen of the present world’s high 20 are among the many 24 PGA Tour gamers to have signed for the inaugural season.
All occasions can be televised and performed at a purpose-built venue in Florida.
Serena and Venus Williams, Stephen Curry and Liverpool house owners the Fenway Sports activities Group are among the many backers.
Whereas many particulars are nonetheless to be finalised – such because the prize cash on provide, the title and proprietor of one of many six groups, or which group every golfer will play for – this is what we do know.
What’s it?
The league – known as TGL – can be run by TMRW Sports activities, the technology-focused sports activities firm launched by Woods and McIlroy in August 2022.
It’ll function six groups of 4 gamers, enjoying one another as soon as in a league format. Solely three of the 4 gamers will compete in anyone occasion.
5 groups have been introduced to date, with names linked to US cities in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.
NBA star Curry is concerned with the San Francisco set-up, whereas tennis greats Serena Williams and sister Venus are amongst these offering help for the LA group. The Fenway Sports activities Group is concerned with the Boston facet.
The Sofi Middle, at Palm Seaside State Faculty, will host every occasion, which is able to take round two hours to play and be broadcast stay within the US.
The venue can maintain roughly 1,600 spectators.
Who’s enjoying?
Woods and McIlroy, naturally. Spain’s Jon Rahm and American Justin Thomas had been the subsequent gamers to enroll.
Two-time main champion Thomas is to date the one participant assigned to a group. Atlanta Drive GC introduced on 31 October that the 30-year-old can be on their roster.
Since then, world primary Scottie Scheffler and his fellow People Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele are amongst these to have joined.
England can be nicely represented with Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Justin Rose all confirmed to play, as is Eire’s Shane Lowry.
How will it work?
Every occasion will function two groups competing in opposition to one another with two factors awarded to the successful group.
There can be two classes inside a match.
The primary is 9 holes of ‘triples’ the place all three gamers will compete in an alternate-shot format over 9 holes. The second session is six holes of ‘singles’, a head-to-head competitors which is able to function every golfer enjoying two holes.
Factors are awarded for successful a gap and the group with probably the most factors on the finish is victorious. Within the occasion of a tie, a nearest the pin shootout will decide the winner.
The highest 4 groups qualify for a semi-final with the victors advancing to a best-of-three closing.
How will they play indoors?
Every gap will begin on a golf simulator, with gamers hitting tee photographs into an enormous display, which at 64ft x 46ft is round 20 occasions bigger than an ordinary display.
For photographs of round 50 yards or much less, gamers will change from the simulator to hitting into adaptable greens with 189 actuators and jacks altering the slope of the placing floor for every gap.
Slightly than utilizing iconic holes or programs that the majority simulators permit gamers to expertise, various new holes have been designed particularly for the TGL season.
