Tiger’s, Rory’s TGL announces format; JT signs with team

With the inaugural match scheduled for Jan. 9, 2024, TGL announced the format for the weekly events that will feature six, four-player teams competing in an arena that will be a combination of a state-of-the-art simulator and adjustable green complex.

The format for TGL, which was founded by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and former Golf Channel president Mike McCarley, will be two weekly sessions with the first nine-hole match a three vs. three, team alternate-shot format. The second session will be a six-hole match of head-to-head competition with each player playing two holes during the session. (One player on each team will not compete each week.)

Overtime will be used to break ties, similar to a penalty shootout in soccer, with regular-season points awarded for an outright victory (two points), overtime victory (two points) or overtime loss (one point). No points are rewarded for a regulation loss. The top four teams at the end of the regular season advance to the playoffs, which will be single elimination in the semifinals followed by a best-of-three championship.

Each match will be played at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, in the roughly 250,000-square foot arena. Tee shots and approach shots of more than 50 yards will be played into a 64-by-46-foot simulator, which is about 20 times larger than a standard simulator. Each shot will be played from real grass tee boxes, fairways, rough and sand.

Shots within 50 yards will be played in the “green zone” which is the size of four basketball courts and will feature the largest-ever adaptable putting surface built by Full Swing to create variety for each green.

Five of the six teams have already been announced and feature investment groups in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.

Justin Thomas, it was announced Tuesday, will compete for the Atlanta Drive GC. He is the first player associated with a specific team.

Each team will announce its three players prior to each week’s event and matches will be aired on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+.