TGL has confirmed — in flashes — it has the potential to be compelling. Whereas straddling the road between superfluous leisure (assume: NBA All-Star Sport) and critical competitors (decide your favourite PGA Tour occasion) has been difficult, there have been some moments when the 2 ideas have overlapped and hit the candy spot.
Essentially the most notable prevalence of this was the fourth match of the season, when two of the league’s founders confronted off. Tiger Woods led Jupiter Hyperlinks Golf Membership to a 4-3 extra time victory over Rory McIlroy and Boston Widespread Golf.
TGL does not have to select a lane between the 2 ideas, it ought to attempt to create extra of these moments and matches. It is not simple to have each match flip into an in depth contest between two of the most well-liked golfers on the planet, however it’s evident thus far that the nearer the match, the extra compelling and entertaining the motion. That additionally creates higher banter between the groups. — Paolo Uggetti
TGL midseason takeaways
With TGL having reached the midpoint of its inaugural season, ESPN golf writers Mark Schlabach and Uggetti took stock of what has gone proper — and unsuitable — thus far. Plus, ESPN provides out superlatives for the perfect photographs and moments of the yr thus far.
Two totally different experiences for followers
I do not assume you may actually admire the idea of TGL till you have watched a match inside SoFi Heart in Palm Seaside Gardens, Florida. From the three,800-square-foot rotating inexperienced that transforms the slope on every gap to the world’s largest simulator display screen, it is a formidable, state-of-the-art venue.
At this level, TGL gives two totally different experiences for golf followers watching on TV and those that attend the occasions. The TV expertise gives the perfect a part of the league: the trash speaking and banter between golfers that you aren’t getting in PGA Tour or LIV Golf occasions. Nevertheless, it is tough for spectators to listen to the golfers at SoFi Heart, which is one thing that has to enhance earlier than the second season.
General, TGL delivered what it marketed, which was a tech-infused golf league that was going to maneuver rapidly in a two-hour TV window. It has been fairly entertaining at moments in its debut season. — Schlabach
A serious change previewed within the second half of the season
A latest guidelines change forward of Monday’s tripleheader may make the matches extra aggressive. As a substitute of the “hammer” altering groups, every squad could have three hammers initially of each match. The hammer can be utilized solely as soon as per gap and it modifications the worth of a gap by one match. If nothing else, it provides groups one thing else to consider by way of technique. — Schlabach
Comfortable Valentine’s Day, up to date Hammer guidelines beginning Monday. 💘
🔨🔨🔨 🆚🔨🔨🔨 pic.twitter.com/BtaSTcbNJG
— TGL (@TGL) February 14, 2025
The change to the foundations for the hammer ensures that it will get utilized extra usually. Getting into Monday’s tripleheader, groups within the lead had been well holding on to the hammer as soon as they held possession to manage the opposite workforce’s skill to make a comeback.
We nonetheless want extra changes, although.
The expertise must be sharper. It is clear that the tech is not flawless, and whereas there’s a randomization factor that may be compelling — particularly when the perfect gamers on the planet know precisely how far their three-quarter pitching wedge goes — sharpening that a part of the gameplay is essential to creating extra competitors. I additionally hope they do one thing about the way in which the ball rolls (or does not roll, moderately) on the inexperienced.
Guys should not have the ability to have a 3-wood from 265 yards out stick with the inexperienced like Velcro. Plus, the extra the ball rolls on and off the inexperienced, the extra followers can see inventive photographs and chipping off the actual, in-arena inexperienced. That, to me, is the extra compelling a part of the gameplay. Talking of which: as a number of of the matches have proven, we have to see extra lengthy birdie putts go in. It feels just like the inexperienced speeds, mixed with the undulations, aren’t creating alternatives for guys to make putts from longer than 5 ft. — Uggetti
TGL midseason superlatives
Nothing says “midseason” fairly like superlatives. We gave out hard-earned awards for the perfect photographs and moments of the yr thus far.
Greatest match: Jupiter Hyperlinks GC vs. Boston Widespread Golf, Jan. 27
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Tiger, Jupiter Hyperlinks grasp on for OT win over Rory, Boston Widespread
Tiger Woods and Jupiter Hyperlinks want extra time, however they defeat Boston Widespread of their TGL matchup.
This was the most important match of the TGL season to this point, and it did not disappoint. Headlined by the 2 largest names within the sport — Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy — Jupiter Hyperlinks and Boston offered followers with essentially the most entertaining and closest match of the yr, thus far.
Along with giving followers a tightly contested occasion, this match additionally gave followers a primary take a look at Woods and McIlroy going head-to-head within the league they created. This was the one match to enter extra time.
Greatest drive: Cameron Younger‘s 345-yard shot
345 yards. pic.twitter.com/ns46xKPxBK
— TGL (@TGL) January 22, 2025
Younger did his finest to maintain New York Golf Membership within the recreation through the workforce’s match vs. Atlanta Drive Golf Membership on Jan. 21. Along with his workforce down one level on Gap 4, Younger reeled off a 345-yard shot to place his workforce in an ideal place. Younger is the league chief in common drive distance (338.8 yards).
Greatest method shot: Collin Morikawa‘s 158-yard shot
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Collin Morikawa amped after early dart
Collin Morikawa’s first shot of the night time is an absolute magnificence for Los Angeles Golf Membership.
In his first shot of the night time throughout Los Angeles Golf Membership’s match vs. Boston Widespread on Feb. 4, Morikawa got here out sizzling, practically sinking a 158-yard method shot to place his workforce in place to take an early lead. Morikawa was the league chief in complete factors received getting into the second half of the season.
Greatest putt: Adam Scott‘s 31-foot birdie
Adam Scott, by no means a doubt.
📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/pTJMRJyXOs
— TGL (@TGL) January 28, 2025
Along with Tiger vs. Rory, Jupiter Hyperlinks vs. Boston additionally gave us the perfect putt of the season to this point, as Scott sank a 31-footer for birdie on Gap 14. The putt gave Scott the win over Kevin Kisner and Boston some extent to maintain the match tied at 3-3. This marked one of many longest putts of the season.
Greatest entertainer: Tom Kim, Jupiter Hyperlinks GC
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Tom Kim responds to followers with clutch birdie
As followers are chanting, Tom Kim drops in a clutch birdie for Jupiter Hyperlinks.
In the case of getting the followers riled up, no one does it fairly like Tom Kim. After sitting out Jupiter Hyperlinks’ first match of the season, Kim debuted within the largest match of the yr towards Boston. He lived up-to-the-minute, main Jupiter to an extra time win. However, extra importantly, Kim offered the kind of leisure and fan interplay many golf followers hoped for when the league was introduced.
Greatest/worst second: Kevin Kisner hits the flag pole
— TGL (@TGL) January 15, 2025
After it appeared that Jupiter Hyperlinks’ TGL debut could not have gone any worse, Kisner proved that it may. Along with his workforce down 10-1 towards Los Angeles — and after hitting into the bunker on Gap 14 — Kisner’s try and get again on the inexperienced did not go so properly. His shot from the bunker smacked the flag pole and went flying, leaving his opponents, followers and even his teammates with nothing to do however snicker.
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