Golf commentator shares his one concern about TGL as he admits it’s got ‘serious potential’
Tue 7 January 2025 1:00, UK
After more than two years of anticipation, the wait for TGL is nearly over, with the indoor golf league set to debut this week.
TGL was founded back in 2022, with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy involved in the formation of the idea. It was hard not to think that the league was started as the PGA Tour‘s answer to LIV Golf, which had its debut season in the same year.
It offered the team concept which allowed LIV to initially stand out. Meanwhile, the idea of playing matches indoors on a simulator is like nothing else on the PGA Tour. And it appears that those involved in creating the league are not leaving a single stone unturned.
Players will be able to play off a variety of lies, while there is also a green in the SoFi Center for when the teams reach the putting surface. The competitors will also be mic’d up in the matches, so there is scope for some trash talk between the various teams.
LIV Golf commentator suggests his one concern about TGL
However, it seems that that is the one area where some have reservations. Speaking on LIV Golf’s Fairway to Heaven podcast, commentator Jerry Foltz suggested that he is excited about the concept, but admitted that he can see it needing some time to find its groove.
Photo by Augusta National via Getty Images
“It looks pretty cool, it looks very cool. I wish them the best because I have a lot of friends that work for them, who used to be Golf Channel people, and I think are extremely talented and extremely good people. I wish them the absolute best. I think it’s got potential,” he said.
“I don’t have a whole lot of concerns about it, except for asking golfers who aren’t natural-born entertainers, so to speak, to be entertainers. And I think that’s where it could take a while until it gets its legs under it. But I think it’s got some serious potential.”
Who is playing in the opening match of TGL
The good news for TGL is that it boasts some real star power. Tiger Woods will be leading the Jupiter Links team, while Rory McIlroy is representing Boston Common. In total, there are 13 major champions across the six teams.
TeamsAtlanta Drive GCLucas GloverPatrick CantlayJustin ThomasBilly HorschelBoston Common GCKeegan BradleyRory McIlroyHideki MatsuyamaAdam ScottJupiter Links GCTom KimTiger WoodsMax HomaKevin KisnerLos Angeles GCSahith TheegalaTommy FleetwoodCollin MorikawaJustin RoseNew York Golf ClubMatthew FitzpatrickXander SchauffeleRickie FowlerCameron YoungThe Bay Golf ClubMin Woo LeeWyndham ClarkLudvig AbergShane Lowry2025 TGL
The opening match will pit New York Golf Club against The Bay Golf Club. It will be Matthew Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler playing for New York, while Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark and Ludvig Aberg will representing The Bay.
There are definitely some interesting characters, with Schauffele arguably the most likely to create headlines with some of the comments he makes during the match. However, you would imagine that Lowry could also embrace that side of the game.
There are surely going to be some teething problems over the coming months. However, as Foltz suggested, there appears to be an extremely high ceiling for this indoor golf league.
