Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy forced to fork out £39million to fix major hurdle

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s highly anticipated TGL (The Golf League) was set to debut this year, but unforeseen setbacks have delayed its launch. The innovative golf league, which is designed to bring a new, exciting format to the sport, is now scheduled to begin in early 2025, after significant investments were made to improve the league’s home facility, the SoFi Center in West Palm Gardens, Florida.

Originally, TGL was slated to kick off in January 2024, featuring top PGA Tour players competing in a state-of-the-art, simulated environment. However, just months before the inaugural season, the league faced a significant hurdle when the SoFi Center suffered severe damage, particularly to its inflatable domed roof. This unexpected event forced the league’s organizers to push back the start of the season by a full year.

In a statement at the time, TGL officials explained the rationale behind the decision to delay the launch. “Following discussions with key partners, including players, our six team ownership groups, PGA TOUR leadership, and our commercial partners, SoFi, ESPN, and Palm Beach State College, the decision has been made to postpone the start of the TGL season until early 2025. This decision came after reviewing short-term solutions, potential construction timelines, player schedules, and the primetime sports television calendar.”

As the new launch date approaches, TGL has taken significant measures to prevent further delays. According to The Palm Beach Post, nearly £39 million ($50 million) has been invested in making the SoFi Center’s structure more permanent, ensuring that it can withstand any potential issues that might arise.

Despite the improvements to the venue, TGL has faced additional challenges. Toward the end of 2023, star golfer Jon Rahm announced his withdrawal from the league, a decision that came just weeks before he made the controversial move to LIV Golf. Rahm’s departure was a blow to TGL, but the situation became even more complicated when he persuaded fellow player Tyrrell Hatton to join him in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, leading to Hatton’s removal from the TGL roster.

Hatton had already been assigned to one of TGL’s six franchises, Boston Common, alongside Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, and Keegan Bradley. In the wake of Rahm and Hatton’s exits, TGL quickly moved to fill the roster spots. Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama was brought in to join the Boston team with McIlroy, while McIlroy’s Olympic teammate Shane Lowry was also added to the league’s roster.

With the addition of Lowry, the final roster spots were filled by Wyndham Clark, Min Woo Lee, and Ludvig Aberg, who have been assigned to represent The Bay Golf Club franchise in California. Despite the setbacks, the league’s lineup is now complete, and excitement continues to build as the inaugural season approaches.