As we progress further into the 2000s, there is a pressure to update longstanding sports to keep them entertaining. Baseball is trying to make its games shorter and more engaging, and football continues to tweak its All-Star game format. One could argue that tennis has even been recently upgraded with the emergence of pickleball.
The sport of golf hadn’t undergone much change, though. There are few things in the sports world like Sunday at Augusta, but golfers are aware that there aren’t great ways to improve their game during the Tour season. In the offseason, however, there has been an innovation.
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods were brought in as partners for the creation of TMRW Golf League, or TGL, and they teamed up with TMRW Sports to create the league. It is essentially a league of pro golfers that play extremely challenging golf holes from all over the world in a state-of-the-art simulator, while incorporating a versatile putting green.
McIlroy said that his intention was to create something that was entertaining to fans and could help bring the game of golf into the new age. TGL debuted on Jan. 7, with McIlroy’s team competing in the inaugural episode. Woods headlines Week 2, which will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. ET.
The Sporting News brings you live results, updated scores and highlights as Tiger Woods makes his TGL debut.
WATCH: TGL is available on Fubo, which is offering a free trial
All times ET.
The second hole is called “Pick Yer Plunder.” It was a monstrous 590-yard Par 5. There are three paths to get to the hole. You could play it safe and go left or right for a layup or could try and risk it and land it on a small peninsula up the middle.
The JLGC went left while the LAGC went to the right. This tough proved to be very tough. Both second shots for either team went into the water. Woods had the third shot and also sent it into the water. The LAGC avoided the water and quickly became in control of the hole.
The first hole is called “The Plank.” It is a 380-yard par 4. It is uphill, and there are three alternating diagonals of bunkers on the way to the green.
Woods dropped the hammer before teeing off. This hole is worth two points because a hammer dropped before the tee shot cannot be denied. Both teams missed the green on their second shot, but were able to move to the short-game portion of the hole. Even with the hammer being thrown and the hole being two points, both teams tied with a par.
7:10 p.m. — Both teams are introduced. The L.A. Golf Club walked out to ‘California Love’ by 2Pac, while the Jupiter Links Gold Club walked out to ‘Bring ‘Em Out’ by T.I. Woods got his own personal walk-out and – while wearing his Sunday red – walked out to ‘Eye of the Tiger’ by Survivor.
Tiger’s TGL entrance is electric ⚡️🐅
📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/orQ9xwAzt9
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 15, 2025
7:00 p.m. — Woods has arrived, and is ready to make his debut at the TGL Tuesday night.
Tiger has arrived 🚨 Tune in at 7pm on ESPN to see 🐅 in action @TigerWoods | @SunDayRed pic.twitter.com/Te5kSVRBIq
— Jupiter Links Golf Club (@JupiterLinksGC) January 14, 2025
6:30 p.m. — With one of the teams in tonight’s matchup being from Los Angeles, we will likely see plenty of tributes to those dealing with the wildfires. Collin Morikawa showed up to the event with an LA Strong t-shirt on.
LA Strong 🖤 @collin_morikawa has arrived. pic.twitter.com/w0iUVOLtP5
— TGL (@TGL) January 14, 2025
6:00 p.m. — The first round of the event will be 3v3. Here are the matchups for the first nine holes.
Triples on deck first, catch it tonight. pic.twitter.com/FxlNFAyryC
— TGL (@TGL) January 14, 2025
5:45 p.m. — The singles matchups for the second round have been determined. Woods will play holes No. 10 and 13.
Tonight’s Singles matchups. pic.twitter.com/zeHef5N4uk
— TGL (@TGL) January 14, 2025
5:30 p.m. — Along with the new format comes a new facility. Take a look at the new SoFi Center and hear from the players about what it’s like playing there.
A new kind of golf course ⛳️
Players discuss the uniqueness of playing in the @TGL SoFi Center. pic.twitter.com/nRNCYQVRec
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 14, 2025
This section will be updated as Woods plays during the round.
There are six teams that make up the first season of the TGL. The Jupiter Links Golf Club is based in Jupiter, Florida. The team is represented by Woods, Max Homa, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner.
Jupiter Links Golf Club will take on L.A. Golf Club. This team is comprised of Collin Morikawa Sahith Theegala, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood.
MORE TGL: Teams, Schedule, Rules to know
TGL is the TMRW Golf League. It is a collaboration between McIlroy, Woods and sports executive Mike McCarley who formed TMRW Sports together.
The league consists of six teams, with four members on each team. The season runs from Jan. 7 to March 4 at which time playoffs would start. Each week, teams will compete in two rounds. The first consists of nine holes and is a three-vs-three format where the golfers alternate shots. The second is six holes of singles with players going head-to-head.
The golfers will hit their driver and long shots into a screen, just like you would at a simulator. The short game, though, is not simulated. There is a short-game rea that is larger than four basketball courts that will allow golfers to hit out of the sand as they work to the green.
One of the coolest features of TGL innovation is the green itself. It is a stationary area, but the technology underneath the floor will manipulate the green depending on the hole. Parts of the green can be raised or lowered so no two holes have the same green.
TGL uses stroke play. Whoever has the lowest score on a hole, earns a point. The team with the most points at the end of both rounds, is considered the winner.
The twist with this is that there is a hammer that can be played. One team starts with the hammer. This can be played at any time to increase the point value of a hole by one point. So if a hole is normally worth one point, a team can play the hammer and the hole is now worth two points.
If the opposing team wants to block the hammer play, they can, but they will automatically concede the hole. Also, once a hammer is used it then goes to the other team who can use it instantly if they prefer. This means that if both teams use the hammer, a hole goes from one point to three.
The full regular season TGL schedule is out. Most of the matchups air on ESPN and ESPN+ on Tuesdays, though this varies with some nights being on ESPN2 and the games being on a handful of Mondays through the season.
Fubo offers a free trial and has ESPN included in its channel lineup. You could give the TGL a try on Tuesday night for free and see if you want to tune in next week.
Only two of the six teams compete at a time. Woods’ Jupiter Links Gold Club will play five matches over the course of the regular season.
Date | Time (ET) | Opponent | Channel |
Tuesday, January 14 | 7 p.m. | LA Golf Club | ESPN |
Monday, January 27 | 6:30 p.m. | Boston Common Golf | ESPN |
Tuesday, February 18 | 7 p.m. | New York Golf Club | ESPN |
Tuesday, February 25 | 9 p.m. | The Bay Golf Club | ESPN |
Tuesday, March 4 | 7 p.m. | Atlanta Drive GC | ESPN |
Max Homa hits from the 17th tee during the third round of The American Express golf tournament on ... [+] the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West in La Quinta,
The second TGL match took place Tuesday night as Tiger Woods' Jupiter Links Golf Club f
Jan 14, 2025, 09:37 PM ETPALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Tiger Woods was the sixth and final player to emerge from the tunnel and onto the field of play for his TGL
Max Homa, Kevin Kisner and Tiger Woods enjoy a smile amid a beatdown at TGL's second night, (Megan Briggs/TGL/TGL via Getty Images)Look, we’re not going to sa