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Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s highly anticipated golf venture, TGL, has welcomed a new team, bought by Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot and owner of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. Dick Sullivan, CEO of the PGA Tour Superstore, has been appointed as the team’s CEO.

Blank isn’t the first to purchase a team in the much-anticipated tech-infused league. Before him, the Williams sisters bought Los Angeles Golf Club, and Fenway Sports Group will own TGL Boston. Blank’s team will be Atlanta-themed with black and red branding.

Blank was quoted as saying via ESPN:

“We’re into golf significantly now with PGA Tour Superstore, so that’s the prime motivation. We have a great relationship with the tour itself. They would probably tell you we’re one of the best partners and we would say they are a great partner to us as well. So, this is a way to extend the game of golf.”

Besides the Falcons, Blank also owns the Atlanta United Football Club in Major League Soccer.

For the uninitiated, the 80-year-old entrepreneur was also one of the initial investors in TMRW Sports. TMRW Sports is co-owned by Woods, McIlroy, and sports executive Mike McCarley in collaboration with the PGA Tour.

Sullivan has worked for Blank for over 20 years. Previously, he held the position of executive vice president with the Falcons and subsequently transitioned to the CEO role at PGA Tour Superstore, a venture owned by the Home Depot co-founder.

He was quoted as saying via Golf.com:

Tiger Woods

“You will not walk in our stores in the future and not know about TGL. And not know about this primetime television show. I say this often, ‘sometimes in life you can be involved in evolutionary things and make evolutionary changes.’ This is revolutionary. We love to do revolutionary things.”

TGL format, players, and other details explored

TGL is set to kick off in 2024, with its main objective being to offer an innovative perspective on the game of golf by combining sports and technology.

Palm Beach State College will serve as the venue for the first season of the tech-infused league, and the facility is currently under construction.

The league, formed in partnership with the PGA Tour, will comprise 18 PGA Tour professionals organized into six teams.

Players will engage in virtual matchplay, which will occur within a specially designed short-game complex focused on chipping and putting.

The TGL matches will be played on Monday nights, and there will be 15 regular matches in one season, followed by a post-season to decide the champion. Each match will take place for two hours and consist of an 18-hole game.

Twelve players out of the 18 have officially announced their commitment to the league. Alongside Woods and McIlroy, prominent names like Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa, Justin Rose, Max Homa, Adam Scott, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Billy Horschel, and Rickie Fowler have all joined the ranks of the new tech-infused league.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy‘s joint venture to launch a virtual indoor golf league is finally shaping out the final details. The idea to inspire youngsters to play golf is rather innovative and enticing to the golf community.

After getting the PGA Tour on board, finally, Tiger Woods’ dream is about to come to fruition. Among supporters, Woods and McIlroy already had the blessings of Tennis stars Serena Williams and husband Alex Ohanian. Now, golf’s very own Jon Rahm shared his honest feedback about the state of affairs.

Jon Rahm’s take on Tiger Woods’ upcoming TGL league

The Spaniard has been a force to be reckoned with since he joined the professional tour circuit. His significant achievements and simple loyalty make him an influencer of sorts. He speaks his mind regardless of expected controversies, and his thoughts are always rooted in pure logic. Therefore, when Rahm decided to share his opinion about TGL, the entire golf world wanted to listen.

As part of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the 28-year-old golfer attended the BMW Championship press conference where he was asked about his opinions on TGL. The 2023 Masters winner replied, “It’s different to what I expected. I didn’t realize how big it was going to be, which makes it a lot better.” He went on to share that he has a virtual screen at home that he uses for practice but compared to the one for TGL, it is a teeny simulator.

Tiger Woods

He praised the potential of the TGL simulator to create a true golfing experience saying, “It’s going to be like that wall right there and taller, and we’re going quite a bit away, and we’re going to be playing from 50 yards into the pin.” Although he did admit that they still have to see how things end up, Rahm seems impressed by Tiger Woods’ innovative entrepreneurship.

The Spanish golfer’s opinions were non-biased and very descriptive of his expectations vs reality.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are two of the finest golfers on the PGA Tour and the community expects the TGL League to be just as successful

A few details about Tiger Woods’ TGL League

TGL is a small but premier league for live golf that will be played in Palm Beach, Florida. The concept of conflating technology with golf skills is an out-of-the-box plan that has the potential to attract a lot of younger crowds to the royal sport.

The venture is set to launch at the dawn of 2024 and there are talks about having game nights on Monday. The Full Swing tournaments will consist of 2 teams of three players each. Golfers can compete with each other in virtual reality while still maintaining the sense of camaraderie that comes from working as a crew.

Have you seen the video of the simulator for TGL? What are your thoughts on the new and improved tech-based league for golfers? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

RORY McILROY heaped praise on Tiger Woods for joining the PGA Tour’s policy board.

Woods has assumed the role amid anger from players regarding the proposed deal between the sport’s two rival factions — LIV Golf and the PGA Tour.

McIlroy and Woods have been the biggest advocates of the established tours in their battle with LIV Golf.

But they were kept in the dark before the shock announcement of a deal between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, who bankroll LIV.

Masters champion Jon Rahm said players felt a sense of ‘betrayal’ that the deal was negotiated in secret, with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan facing calls to resign.

But Woods becoming a player-director of the PGA Tour means the new board will be made up of six player-directors, five independent directors and the PGA of America director.

Tiger Woods

And McIlroy, who is also on the policy board with Patrick Cantlay, Webb Simpson, Charley Hoffman and Peter Malnati, said: “It’s great.

“He is the player that has left the biggest legacy on the game over the last 20 years.

“For him to be involved in the discussions around the future of professional golf is very important. Tiger has stepped up for all of us.

“I think he realises all the players on the policy board are trying to play regular golf and navigate all these different things as well so he’s got a bit more time than we do.

“So for him to step up and sort of take a little bit of the load off us is very much appreciated.”

McIlroy was speaking at a press conference ahead of this week’s FedEx St Jude Championship as he bids to win the overall FedEx Cup title for a fourth time.

And the 34-year-old has brought an old putter out of his garage to use at Southwind in a bid to overhaul Masters champ Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler.

Yet, the Ryder Cup is also on his mind after his place in Europe’s squad was officially confirmed yesterday.

But the Holywood native’s preparation could get a little messy.

After the PGA Tour season finishes, McIlroy will return to Europe for the Irish Open at the K Club and then the BMW PGA Championship.

But he revealed: “I’ve got a buddy’s bachelor party in Mykonos after Wentworth and then I have a few days to dry out before the Ryder Cup.”