Tiger Woods and US sporting royalty set to tee off high-tech indoor golf league

Tiger Woods,Steph Curry, the Williams sisters, and a host of other sporting greats have joined forces in a high-tech project that hopes to attract new golf fans - but in a different format.

The TGL, which is a televised indoor league, was created by TMRW Sports in partnership with thePGA tour. It will include 15 of the top 20 men's golfers from around the world.

The six teams' ownership groups are a who’s who of US sports excellence and prestige. Tennis and NBA legends sit side by side with billionaires who have seats at the NFL table, Premier League table and more.

You can find out everything you need to about the competition on Monday, January 9.

The TGL, first announced in August 2022, aims to bring a younger audience into golf by using technology and a specially built-arena at the Palm Beach State College.

The venue, which is 250,000 square feet in size, will accommodate 1,600 spectators. It also has a course measuring 97 yards by 50 yards. This is just a little smaller than an American football field. The tee shot and approach shot are fired into a 64 x 46 foot screen, before the players move to the 'tech-infused short game complex' (the 'Green Zone") for shots that are within 50 yards of a hole.

The 'Green Zone,' which includes three virtual golf greens that are mechanically adjustable via 189 actuators or jacks allows organizers to alter the slope of each hole.

Woods said in a press statement in August 2022, "We all know how it feels to be in the middle of a football or basketball stadium where you can see every play and every minute of action right before you."

It's a feature of TGL which will appeal to new fans and set it apart from traditional golf.

Six mic'd-up teams - made up of four PGA Tour professionals - will face off against each other in a regular 15-match season. However, only three members of each team will be competing in each match.

The four top-performing teams will advance to the playoffs. Single elimination semifinals determine the participants in the Championship Series.

Two points are awarded for winning a match. The matches take place over 15 holes and two sessions. Nine holes are played as a three-versus-3 format with teammates taking alternate shots. The remaining six holes are a straight shootout between players.

Each hole is worth a point. After 15 holes, the closest-to-the-pin competition will be played if scores are equal. The team that hits two shots closer to their opponent's hole wins the overtime tiebreaker. Their opponents receive only one point overall for losing the regular time.

Only one player from each of the six teams has been assigned.

The Home Depot cofounder Arhthur Blank, who owns NFL and MLS teams Atlanta Falcons, and Atlanta United, respectively, announced Tuesday that Justin Thomas, a two-time major winner, was the first recruit for Atlanta Drive GC.

The 24-player group is led by Woods, who has a total of 224 PGA Tour victories. Woods' competitive appearances are sporadic, since he sustained severe leg injuries after a serious accident in 2021.

McIlroy will be joined by Jon Rahm, Patrick Cantlay (Xander Schauffele), Max Homa, Matt Fitzpatrick and Wyndham, seven of the top 10 men's male players in the world. Scottie Schaffler, Viktor Hovland, and Brian Harman are not included.

The final lineup includes Tom Kim, Tyrrell, Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood. Also, Keegan, Bradley, Thomas, Sahith Theegala. Lucas Glover. Shane Lowry. Justin Rose. Adam Scott. Min Woo Lee. Billy Horschel. Kevin Kisner.

In a press statement, the TGL stated that it worked with TGL teams and players to confirm the four players for each team. The goal was to ensure the TGL schedule of a player would be largely complimentary with his PGA Tour schedule.

"Additionally consideration was given to the ESPN broadcast schedule and league and team balance, as well as, in some cases, what made each city, ownership group and team unique."

Boston Common Golf's owner, Fenway Sports Group, is the MLB's Boston Red Sox. They also own NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins and NASCAR's RFK Racing, as well as English Premier League football team Liverpool.

The Los Angeles Golf Club's ownership group includes tennis sisters Serena, Venus, and Alexis Ohanian. Ohanian is also the co-founder and principal investor of the National Women's Soccer League team Angel City FC, and he was the husband of the 23-time Grand Slam winner.

The two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antietokounmpo, along with his three brothers and US Women's National Team player Alex Morgan as well as five-time LPGA Tour champion Michelle Wie West are limited partners in LAGC.

TGL San Francisco is owned by Marc Lasry, the Avenue Sports Fund, and Curry. His two-time NBA MVP teammates Andre Iguodala (current Golden State Warriors) and Klay Thomson are also investors.

TGL New York, meanwhile, is run by New York Mets' owner Steven A. Cohen. He also has his family office Cohen Private Ventures.

The first two-hour game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and ESPN from 9 pm. The first match will be aired at 1 a.m. GMT on Tuesday, January 9. The second match will air a week after that at 7 p.m. On January 16, ET will be 11 p.m. GMT. All matches will be broadcast on ESPN channel or the ESPN+ Simulcast.

ABC will broadcast a preview on Saturday, December 30.