logo
After successful first season, Rory McIlroy wants to see TGL makes these two changes in 2026

After successful first season, Rory McIlroy wants to see TGL makes these two changes in 2026

USA Today26-03-2025

HOUSTON — The first season of TGL is in the books.
Justin Thomas' Atlanta Drive GC beat New York 2-0 in the best-of-three championship series Tuesday thanks to Billy Horschel's late heroics in the second match. It was a thrilling end to the inaugural season of the indoor simulator league, which was founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's TMRW Sports.
McIlroy wasn't in attendance at the season finale of Tomorrow's Golf League, as he's teeing it up at the 2025 Texas Children's Houston Open in his final start before the Masters. He was tuned in however.
On Wednesday after his pro-am, Golfweek caught up with McIlroy about the first year of TGL. The world No. 2 said he was impressed with how much the players bought into the new experience.
"I think everyone that played had an amazing time," McIlroy said. "Even the guys that played one match, whether it be Nick Dunlap or Tony Finau, they all just talked about what an amazing experience it was. So I think for that, having player buy-in, if the players are enthusiastic about it, then that will translate into the crowd or the media or whoever the audience is being enthusiastic about it as well."
"I think that was amazing and that the players really got into it and we were able to create a product that the players really liked."
Being that the league was in its inaugural season, there were plenty of bumps along the way. But TGL was proactive, including changing rules a couple weeks in to help make matches more competitive, and it paid off in the long run.
"I think being able to change on the fly, so obviously change in that hammer rule midseason was huge," McIlroy added. "You know, there was a couple of really non-competitive matches at the start, and then once we changed the hammer rules, um it it became a lot more competitive or at least had the potential to stay competitive with how the hammer rules started to work. So I think that was a really good thing."
The league carries some significant momentum into year No. 2, and TGL is already in discussions with ESPN about building a schedule for 2026. There has also been talk for expansion and other changes to grow the league.
What does McIlroy think TGL can build upon in 2026?
"I think we could do better job with being a little more imaginative with the golf holes, like design golf holes that you would never be able to play in real life," McIlroy said. "I think that would be pretty cool, right? I think that something that we could do a better job of. I would say the putting surface needs looked that, like I think it's much harder to hole putts on that TGL green than it is the hole putts on on a normal green. We could have a look at changing the putting surface maybe,as well.
"Apart from that, ESPN is happy. Sponsors are happy. The players are really bought into it, so as a first season has went, I think it's went really, really well."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Colorado vs. Georgia Tech: Game time, TV announced
Colorado vs. Georgia Tech: Game time, TV announced

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Colorado vs. Georgia Tech: Game time, TV announced

The Colorado Buffaloes will continue to be in the national spotlight under Deion Sanders. The 2025 season opener against Georgia Tech has been selected for ESPN's national broadcast on August 29 at 8 p.m. ET. This marks the third consecutive year the Buffs have been featured in a major network's Upfront presentation, which is a showcase of premier content for advertisers. Advertisement As part of ABC's Big 12 Upfront slate, Colorado joins a high-profile lineup that includes Iowa State vs. Kansas State in Dublin, Nebraska at Cincinnati, and TCU at North Carolina. This announcement continues an impressive streak for Colorado. The Georgia Tech opener will be the 14th straight contest broadcast on a major network or flagship ESPN, extending a program record. In Coach Prime's first two seasons, 21 of 25 games have been nationally televised. An unprecedented media platform for the Buffs, according to CU Athletics. CU has also bee showcased during the offseason. The Black and Gold spring game was nationally televised on ESPN platforms twice in the last three years, and their 2024 NFL Pro Day aired on NFL Network. These broadcasts show the widespread interest in Sanders' rebuild and the program's rising national profile. Advertisement Related: Shedeur Sanders' shows true colors at Browns minicamp The 2025 opener also carries historic intrigue. While Colorado and Georgia Tech have never met, they famously split the 1990 national championship. Related: Deion Sanders turns heads by welcoming back castaway transfer at Colorado This will be the first of a home-and-home series with Sanders and the Buffs heading to Atlanta next year.

ESPN analyst has words for SMU Football's playoff credibility
ESPN analyst has words for SMU Football's playoff credibility

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

ESPN analyst has words for SMU Football's playoff credibility

ESPN analyst has words for SMU Football's playoff credibility originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Leave it to Paul Finebaum to stir the pot before the first snap of the college football season. The ESPN analyst, never one to mince words, took aim at SMU football during a recent segment of The Paul Finebaum Show, dismissing the Mustangs' 2024 College Football Playoff berth as unearned. 'Last year, SMU got a third-place ribbon. They had no business being in the CFP,' Finebaum said bluntly. Advertisement The comment has sparked major backlash among Mustangs fans and college football insiders, especially given SMU's standout first year in the ACC. The Mustangs went 11-3, won the ACC Coastal Division, and went undefeated in regular-season conference play before narrowly falling to Clemson 30-27 in the ACC title game. Southern Methodist Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee leads his team to the field before the 2024 ACC Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at Bank of America Stadium. :Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Created: Despite the loss, SMU secured a spot in the expanded 12-team CFP. While their postseason ended with a 38-10 loss to No. 6 Penn State, the selection committee deemed their resume strong enough, especially in a year filled with parity across the Power Four. Finebaum's critique raises a larger question: what does it really take for programs outside the traditional elite to be respected? Advertisement With a 2025 slate that includes matchups against Clemson, Louisville, and Miami, and a non-conference gauntlet featuring Baylor and TCU, SMU has a chance to prove last season wasn't a fluke. The Mustangs aren't just playing for wins this fall, they're playing for national credibility. And thanks to Finebaum, they've got bulletin board material before Week 1. If Finebaum wanted to wake a sleeping giant in Dallas, he may have just succeeded. Related: SMU Football Makes Underrated Hire After Playoff Season Related: SMU Football Faces Backlash After Team GPA Under Rhett Lashlee Surfaces This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.

Minnesota Lynx Hold Firm Atop WNBA Power Rankings
Minnesota Lynx Hold Firm Atop WNBA Power Rankings

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Minnesota Lynx Hold Firm Atop WNBA Power Rankings

Minnesota Lynx Hold Firm Atop WNBA Power Rankings originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There's no doubt that the Minnesota Lynx have a goal in mind. They want to win the WNBA championship this season. So far, it's been a perfect run through the WNBA for the team. Advertisement Behind Napheesa Collier's incredible play, the Lynx are 9-0 on the season and firmly hold on to the No. 1 spot in the latest WNBA Power Rankings from ESPN. While Collier keeps grabbing the headlines for Minnesota (and rightfully so), there are other Lynx players who are contributing to the team's success. For instance, take guard Natisha Hiedeman. In two wins last week over the Phoenix Mercury and Dallas Wings, Hiedman scored 27 a combined points and shot the ball at an awesome 61% clip. That type of extra effort from her lets Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve know that she can turn to her at any time. Napheesa Collier earns early-season MVP accolades from ESPN for stellar play Back to Collier for a minute. Her stellar play in nine games earned her early-season MVP recognition from ESPN. Collier is the anchor to the Lynx offense, making sure she's combining scoring, rebounds, and assists in every game. Advertisement In eight games of action, Collier is averaging 25.5 points and 8.9 rebounds. She's a solid player who doesn't mind carrying most of the scoring load for Minnesota. The Lynx have a road game against the Seattle Storm on Wednesday and a home game against the Los Angeles Sparks on June 14. They want to keep their winning ways going, so look for Collier and Co. to bring their best to the WNBA court all the time. Napheesa Collier was the unanimous pick for MVP in the first edition of our season awards tracker because of the amount of responsibility she carries when it comes to Minnesota's success, but the Lynx still get what they need from the rest of the roster. In victories over Phoenix and Dallas last week, guard Natisha Hiedeman was particularly effective off the bench, combining for 27 points on 61.1% shooting. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store