TGL Explores Mixed Event and Women’s League Options Amid LPGA Talks

TGL Explores Mixed Event and Women’s League Options Amid LPGA Talks

Though the TGL (Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s new indoor golf league) hasn’t even debuted yet, discussions are already underway about potential collaboration with the LPGA, including the possibility of expanding into the women’s game.

 

TGL, which blends virtual simulator golf with a real-life short game area, is set to launch on January 7 at the 1,500-seat SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The league will feature 24 PGA Tour players split into six teams.

 

While TGL’s immediate focus is on ensuring the success of its first season, a spokesperson confirmed that talks with the LPGA have taken place about potential future collaboration.

 

Speaking at the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan revealed that the LPGA has been exploring synergies with TGL to improve the visibility and marketing of female golfers. “We’ve been talking to them for a while,” Marcoux Samaan said. “It would be great to position our athletes in different exposure scenarios and bring innovation to the game. The LPGA should be part of every golf conversation. So, we’ve been in talks with them for a while and will see what comes from it.”

 

Sources familiar with the discussions told Front Office Sports that TGL is considering incorporating a mixed men’s and women’s event or even creating a separate women’s league. TGL’s hybrid virtual format could make this possible, as it allows all players to tee off from the same spot, unlike traditional mixed events where men often tee off 50 yards or more ahead of women.

 

Recent events have seen more interaction between top men’s and women’s golfers. In February, McIlroy and Max Homa (a member of Woods’ Jupiter Links TGL team) participated in a version of The Match, the televised golf competition, that featured female golfers. McIlroy triumphed over Homa, Lexi Thompson, and Rose Zhang, winning $2.4 million for charity.

 

Looking ahead, next month’s Grant Thornton Invitational—co-sanctioned by both the PGA and LPGA Tours—will return for its second year. Top women’s players like Nelly Korda and Rose Zhang will compete alongside PGA Tour and TGL stars such as Rickie Fowler and Sahith Theegala.

 

Calls for greater collaboration between the men’s and women’s tours are gaining momentum. At the Solheim Cup in September, U.S. team captain Stacy Lewis suggested that the Presidents Cup, which pits U.S. and international teams against each other, could evolve into a mixed-gender event. Additionally, the International Olympic Committee is considering adding a mixed-team golf tournament to the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games.