Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods Secure $500 Million Funding for TGL Indoor Golf League

Golf legends Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods have successfully secured a significant $500 million funding for their TMRW Sports start-up. This capital will support the launch of their innovative indoor golf league, TGL, which is set to debut next year. According to Bloomberg, this substantial funding round, led by Dynasty Equity Partners and Connect Ventures, has valued TMRW Sports at around $500 million.

Michael Blank from Connect Ventures highlighted that the investment would facilitate TMRW’s expansion into new formats, leagues, and media properties across various territories. The first major project under TMRW’s banner is a groundbreaking partnership with the PGA Tour for the TGL indoor golf league, which will launch in January 2025. This league’s events will be broadcasted on ESPN and ESPN+ in the United States.

Mike McCarley, co-founder and CEO of TMRW Sports, expressed that the company is also exploring collaborations with other governing bodies and has potential plans to extend into women’s golf. K Don Cornwell, co-founder of Dynasty Equity Partners, emphasized their objective to partner with leading sports management teams to engage existing fans and attract new audiences. Cornwell added that promoting accessibility and diversity in sports is a priority, aligning well with TMRW’s vision.

TGL will feature a six-team league comprising 24 top golfers, including Woods, McIlroy, and Shane Lowry. The league is currently in talks with betting partners to enhance fan engagement. The teams will be owned by prominent figures such as David Blitzer, Marc Lasry, Steve Cohen, Arthur Blank, Fenway Sports Group, and Alexis Ohanian. Additionally, notable early investors include Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Lewis Hamilton, Steph Curry, and Andy Murray.

Recently, TGL announced the signing of former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama to McIlroy’s Boston Common Golf franchise. Matsuyama replaced England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who moved to LIV Golf for a reported $50 million. Similarly, former Masters and US Open champion Jon Rahm was expected to join the league but was replaced by Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg following Rahm’s $500 million move to LIV Golf.

Originally, TGL was set to launch in January 2024 but faced a delay due to a power outage that caused the collapse of the dome at the planned Florida venue. The league will now kick off on January 7, 2025, with events hosted at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, close to the residences of many participating stars including Woods and McIlroy.

The confirmed TGL teams are as follows:

– **Atlanta Drive GC:** Billy Horschel, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Lucas Glover.
– **Boston Common Golf:** Keegan Bradley, Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama, Adam Scott.
– **Jupiter Links Golf Club:** Tom Kim, Tiger Woods, Max Homa, Kevin Kisner.
– **Los Angeles Golf Club:** Sahith Theegala, Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, Justin Rose.
– **New York Golf Club:** Rickie Fowler, Cameron Young, Matt Fitzpatrick, Rickie Fowler.
– **The Bay Golf Club:** Wyndham Clark, Shane Lowry, Ludvig Åberg, Min Woo Lee.

With a robust lineup of stars and strategic partnerships, TGL is poised to make a significant impact on the golfing world, blending traditional sports with innovative, tech-driven formats to attract a diverse and enthusiastic audience.