PALM BEACH GARDENS — If all had gone according to plan, the co-founder of the indoor high-tech golf league that captured the curiosity of golf fans last season and two of the world’s hottest golfers would have battled it out for the championship in TGL’s inaugural season.
Instead, the only teams left were Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links and Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common Golf. do not have In the playoffs. Both were spectators for a dramatic final game in which Atlanta Drive defeated New York Golf Club to win its first SoFi Cup, capping off a season that was by all accounts a success.
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Now, Season 2 of this unique project led by TMRW Sports begins with the team led by Woods and McIlroy having the most to prove.
“I think we’re all ready for nothing worse,” said Tom Kim, a member of Woods’ Jupiter team. “We’re ready to win, especially for a guy who’s not used to losing. And he’s committed to making the playoffs.”
TGL officials make changes to improve player and fan experience
Golfer Tiger Woods is introduced during a game of golf at the SoFi Center, home of TGL, an interactive golf league founded by Tiger Woods, and TGL, an interactive golf league founded by Woods and Rory McIlroy, on January 14, 2025 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
A year ago, the league was an experiment. And while the PGA Tour’s 24 players had no idea what was going to happen and were hoping for the best, the TGL’s launch was delayed by a year after a storm caused the original arena’s dome roof to collapse.
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The blueprints were scrapped and a redesigned arena made of steel with a traditional roof instead of a bubble was rebuilt on Palm Beach State University’s campus. And just like the storm hit the roof a year ago, the new venue blew everyone away.
And ultimately, with the league fixing the glitches and making changes on the fly, things couldn’t have gone much better for the startup.
Preparations are nearly complete for the start of TGL’s second season on December 15, 2025 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, with a new, larger putting area installed at SoFi Center.
“We’re sitting here with a product that has an audience,” Mike McCarley, who founded TMRW Sports and brought the TGL concept to Woods and McIlroy, said after the season.
After completing a season that included a 15-game regular season (six teams playing five games each) and a four-team postseason, the TGL team returned to the lab to work on enhancing the experience for Season 2, which opens with a final rematch between Atlanta and New York on December 28th.
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“We kind of know what’s going to happen now,” Atlanta’s Lucas Glover said. “That kink was worked out in the first season. It’s the same thing for television. It’s the same thing for the fans.
“I think we will be even stronger this season.”
The league made the changes in hopes of improving the experience for players and fans.
The green was expanded from 3,800 square feet to 5,270 square feet, and the hill was lowered by 18 inches. One bunker has been removed. Two large, flat bunkers surround the green.
“They helped me get a few more birdies,” Kim said. “It’s a little easier to putt.”
The fan experience will be enhanced with lower bowl seating and an in-house feed of players interacting from ESPN broadcasts and other channels accessible via earbuds.
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“A very intimate environment like this allows fans to be part of the action,” said Billy Horschel of Atlanta. “We want the fans to be involved. We had a lot of fun with the fans cheering and heckling the players. It’s great.”
Atlanta Drive GC’s Lucas Glover selects a club at the golf tee during a media tour at the SoFi Center as preparations for the start of TGL’s second season on December 15, 2025 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, are nearing completion.
One of the things the league focused on was the balance between entertainment and competition.
Some bright moments – Kevin Kisner bladed a shot from a bunker that flew toward the stands but bounced off the pin. After Woods hit a beautiful 100-yard wedge, it became a hot topic online when it was noticed that it went 199 yards instead of 99.
And after the hammer rule was adjusted, the competition became even more intense, culminating in Horschel’s 18-foot putt in the playoffs that set off a celebration never seen on the PGA Tour, propelling Atlanta to the championship.
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“It made every game more intense,” Glover said of the Hammers. Hammers are yellow flags owned by each team that, when thrown, increase the point value for that hole. “We had to be really strategic, and that increased the intensity.”
Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas out due to back surgery
Season 2, the league’s first bold experiment, will open against the NFL. ABC’s 3 p.m. start on the Sunday after Christmas is the opposite of CBS and FOX’s later games at 1 p.m., as well as some games that kick off in later time slots.
“Some of the early 1 p.m. games are bad games, big losses, or teams that are not doing well, and we hope that people will tune in to ABC to watch us,” Horschel said. “That would be really great.”
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One of those early games, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Miami Dolphins, is scheduled to be played 110 miles south of SoFi Center, and Dolphins fans are likely checking out for the season and looking to watch something different.
TGL’s TV ratings for Season 1 exceeded ESPN’s expectations, averaging 500,000 viewers overall.
Atlanta Drive GC celebrated its TGL championship by defeating New York Golf Club in the TGL Finals on March 25, 2025 at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
However, this TGL season begins without two of its biggest stars.
Woods underwent disc replacement surgery on Oct. 10 and confirmed he will miss the first half of the season, if not more. The Jupiter Lynx’s season opener is January 13th, with additional games being played on January 20th, February 2nd, March 1st, and March 3rd.
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Woods said he will definitely attend the Jupiter Links game.
Justin Thomas, a member of Atlanta’s title team along with Horschel, Glover and Patrick Cantlay, underwent a minor discectomy on Nov. 13 and will miss most of the season.
Each team has four members for the three spots required for each match, and neither team will add any retired numbers. Season 2 begins with the same 24 players as last season.
The league has PGA Tour players ready to sign one-game contracts.
TGL has already announced a Season 3 expansion, with at least one team (Detroit’s Motor City Golf Club) participating. Additionally, TGL Holdings has filed a trademark application for potential franchises for Chicago Links Golf Club and Texas Golf Club in Chicago and Texas (possibly Dallas), which may also join in 2027.
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“Fans asked, ‘Am I having as much fun as I think I am, and is it more fun when you’re there?'” Kim said. “I said, ‘Yes.’
“But it’s a lot more intense than people realize. I think a lot of people just think we’re having fun because they can hear us talking. In fact, we’re seriously trying to beat each other and it’s a lot more competitive.”
Tom DiAngelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for the Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
Atlanta Drive GC owner Arthur Blank congratulates Billy Horschel on his victory over Bay Golf Club in the TGL Semifinals on March 18, 2025 at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
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Bay Club golfer Shane Lowry puts his arm around New York Golf Club’s Rickie Fowler during a game of golf at the SoFi Center, home of TGL, an interactive golf league founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy on January 7, 2025 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
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Boston Common’s Rory McIlroy takes a hit from a bunker during a TGL game against Jupiter Lynx GC on January 27, 2025 at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
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Justin Thomas of Atlanta Drive GC makes a putt against New York Golf Club during the TGL match at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on January 21, 2025.
This article originally appeared on the Palm Beach Post: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy’s high-tech TGL makes changes for season 2
