July 8, 2024 – (Lausanne, Switzerland and Orlando, Fla.): Today, the International Golf Federation (IGF) and TMRW Sports announced a strategic partnership focused on harnessing technology to help increase participation in golf. TMRW Sports, founded by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and sports executive Mike McCarley, is centered around creating modern media approaches to sports that inspire fans and participants to create new connections with sports. This mission dovetails with the IGF’s commitment to the international development of the sport of golf as well as the IGF’s leadership role in facilitating its membership of 152 national federations’ and 22 professional tours’ use of technology to make golf more accessible. With the recent announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) proposing the creation of the Olympic Esports Games, this potential new platform adds an exciting dimension to the relationship between the IGF and TMRW Sports, leveraging this growing digital arena to engage a broader, younger audience. The strategic partnership was announced today by Antony Scanlon, IGF executive director, and Mike McCarley, founder and CEO, TMRW Sports.
“We believe in TMRW Sports’ vision to blend virtual and live competition to inspire new fans and bring them closer to the sport of golf,” said Scanlon. “After experiencing how they are using technology with TGL, we recognize the increasing potential growth of golf through new tech-infused forms of the sport and how we can more effectively engage broader – and emerging – audiences to increase participation, especially among younger and non-traditional golfers. TMRW Sports’ approach to reach new fans and participants is another example of innovation within the sport that will help fuel continued growth and participation worldwide.”
“TMRW Sports is inspired by the power of the Olympic Movement and how it brings the world together through the joy of competition in sport. As society continues to evolve, adapt, and embrace new forms of technology, sport-specific applications continue to provide a vital role in shaping the future of sports and its intersection with mainstream culture. Therefore, as we forge a new path embracing technology within golf, it’s encouraging to add the IGF and its global reach across its national federations and professional tours as a partner. Both the IGF and TMRW Sports share a vision that embraces the traditions of golf with a tech-focused future to reach new audiences from all walks of life and all corners of the globe,” said McCarley.
TMRW Sports is blending virtual and live competition by launching TGL presented by SoFi, a new tech-infused golf league in partnership with the PGA TOUR and featuring teams of PGA TOUR superstars competing in a progressive, fast-paced form of golf. Debuting in January at the SoFi Center, a custom-built venue in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., TGL combines long-distance shots into a 64×46 foot screen with an adaptable short-game complex that morphs between holes. TGL is a short-form, team golf competition built to connect with broader sports fans in prime time on ESPN in the U.S. and other leading sports broadcasters around the world. TGL’s six teams have rosters of four PGA TOUR players each, representing the global nature of the game with eight nationalities, including Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, Northern Ireland, South Korea, Sweden, and U.S. TGL’s technology mix allows for every shot to be broadcast live, teams playing within a 40-second shot clock, all players being mic’d, delivery of advance shot data, and other broadcast enhancements to engage viewers. To learn more about TGL, its competitive format, teams, and use of technology, visit TGL’s Explainer Page.
