Next Up In Golf

It seems Tiger Woods was not a part of the recent merger talks. Yes, you read that right! The 48-year-old golfer and player director of the circuit’s Policy Board was not a part of the PGA Tour-PIF meeting that was set up in New York City, per reports. But there’s a catch, for the athlete was also in the city ahead of the gathering but for an entirely different reason.

A tweet was shared by TWLEGION on their X handle divulging the golfer’s activities as per a report shared by Bob Harig, a journalist from Sports Illustrated. It also mentioned how the 15-time major champ was in NY but for the Nexus Cup that took place from September 9 to 10 at the Liberty National Golf Club. However, the golfer has since then reportedly left town following the end of the event.

Get ready for golf like never before! Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy‘s revolutionary team golf league is set to make golf high-tech in the coming days. TGL is truly pushing the boundaries of innovation, and with many big names associated with the league, it is bound to be successful. But what’s behind the magic that’s set to transform the game forever?

Toptracer, the official ball-tracing partner of TGL, is at the forefront of this technological revolution. So, how does it work its magic? Let’s explore how it’s set to change the face of golf forever.

Toptracer leads the golf industry with range technology in over 1,000 driving range facilities worldwide. The company officially partnered with TGL after a successful two-year testing period at TGL Performance Labs. Toptracer’s camera sensors track every tee shot and approach play with pinpoint accuracy as they hit the massive 64×53-foot screen.

TGL positions its tee boxes 35 and 20 yards away, creating the perfect setup for its camera sensors to capture every detail.

This screen, a staggering 24 times larger than a standard simulator, sets the stage for unparalleled accuracy. Moreover, it meticulously monitors every shot and feeds the data into TGL’s data engine, unleashing insights, learnings, and predictive data for viewers and second-screen users.

Speaking about their partner from two years ago, Andrew Macaulay, Chief Technology Officer, TMRW Sports and TGL, noted, “With the flexibility, accuracy, and reliability of Toptracer’s ball-tracing technology, we’re gathering an extensive amount of data on each shot to help accurately transition into the virtual landscapes of our custom-designed holes.” Macaulay also highlighted, “Using Toptracer’s ball-tracing has added to the scale of TGL, allowing for our tee boxes to be a long way from the screen and for shots to be hit from any lie and location.”

Home to TGL, the SoFi Center is a 250,000-square-foot oasis of innovation nestled on the campus of Palm Beach State College. The excitement is set to kick off on January 7th, 2025, with the league’s inaugural season. That will mark a new era in golf entertainment that will thrill fans worldwide.

Initially planned for this year, the league delayed its start due to a roof destruction incident in November 2023. Now, as TGL prepares to revolutionize the golf landscape, the question remains: can this innovative approach win over the hearts of traditional golf fans?

Can Tiger Woods’ TGL, with its High-Tech twist, win over golf fans?

With its prominent role in golf’s most prestigious events, Toptracer is set to captivate fans. In January 2025, six teams of PGA Tour superstars are set to thrill golf enthusiasts at the SoFi Center, delivering a truly unique golf experience. The teams will tackle 15 electrifying holes, divided into two action-packed sessions: nine holes of triples in a 3v3 format, where three players from each team will alternate shots.

Additionally, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TGL format brings an extra layer of strategy and teamwork to the game, which is a whole lot different than the traditional game. However, as the match intensifies, teams switch to singles mode. Six holes of head-to-head play will keep fans on edge. Consequently, its modern matchplay scoring system adds excitement, with each hole worth 1 point. The team with the fewest shots on a hole wins the point. Hence, the team with the most points at the end will be declared the winner.

TGL’s bold formula is poised to fill the gap between tradition and innovation, redefining the game for a new era. How do you see this new tech-infused league? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Tiger Woods has been given some advice on his future from an ex-rival.

Tiger Woods has been backed to use the PGA Tour Champions to improve his form in golf’s four majors. The sporting icon has struggled in the biggest tournaments this year, with injuries limiting his impact and preventing him from claiming a 16th title.

Woods is only two years away from being eligible to play on the over-50s tour. The shorter, 54-hole events could allow the American to build his fitness, particularly if he is allowed to navigate the courses in a cart.

His former rival Michael Campbell believes it would be a ‘no-brainer’ for Woods to use the PGA Tour Champions to improve his form in the majors. In eight of his nine rounds in majors this year, the 48-year-old has shot over-par.

“It would be great for the Champions Tour to have him on board,” he says. “With the Champions Tour, it’s only three rounds of golf and he’s on a cart which is going to help him with his injuries,” Campbell told Bunkered.

“He may use the events as a warm up towards the major. He’s got a scorecard in his back pocket and he’s not putting too much strain on his leg so there’s a chance he could do that building up to the Open or the Masters. To me, it’s a no-brainer.”

Campbell famously defeated Woods in the 2005 US Open at Pinehurst. At the time it was a major shock, with Woods comfortably the world’s leading player.

But the last few years have been very tough for the golfing icon. Injuries sustained in a near-fatal car crash in 2021 have hindered Woods’ mobility.

Campbell admits that he now feels ‘sorry’ for Woods. The 55-year-old New Zealander continued: “It’s a real shame. Through my whole career I played a lot with him. He was awesome. To see how he’s playing now… I feel sorry for him.”

He’s played four times this year and played poorly,” Campbell explains. “It’s hard for Tiger to come back and only play the majors on the four toughest golf courses.

“He needs to maybe rethink his schedule because you can’t do that. I know he’s Tiger Woods but he can’t just go into a tournament having not played for three or four months and come back and expect to play well. It’s the major issue he has.”

Tiger Woods has just about every shot imaginable in his arsenal. Whether the situation requires the ball to go high or low, left or right, the 15-time major winner has the shot in his bag to get it done.

Watching Woods work around the greens you can see his creativity really shine. Rarely on the course does he hit just a stock shot with his short game. Every scenario is a little bit different, and each requires specific adjustments in order to have the best chance of chipping it close.

One of Woods’ go-to shots around the greens comes in the form of a “draw chip.” And in today’s edition of Play Smart, we’re going to hear from the man himself on how to hit it.

How to hit Tiger’s draw chip

Sometimes getting the ball close from short range requires a little bit of creative thinking. For Woods, that comes in the form of shaping the ball left or right to get the ball close.

For a shot that needs to move left-to-right — or one that might be affected by a tough lie — he turns to his patented draw chip.

Executing the shot is simple. According to Woods, he opens the face just a touch, keeps his hands forward at address and then when the club head is approaching impact, he tries to close the face down and move his body forward.

“I’ll get more spin,” Woods says. “But I’m also ensuring that I don’t fat it.”

Next time you’re around the greens and are worried about catching the ball a little heavy, try focusing on hitting a draw chip. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to execute — and how useful it is to have in your arsenal.

LIV Golf star Jon Rahm is gearing up to represent Spain at the Paris Olympics, with the golf event set to take place at Le Golf National – a course where Rahm has fond memories

LIV Golf sensation Jon Rahm has candidly confessed that his exuberant celebration after besting Tiger Woods in the 2018 Ryder Cup was “the biggest overreaction to a four-footer I’ve ever seen”.

READ MORE:Tiger Woods Has Played In The Open Twice At Royal Troon – But How Did He Get On?

Rahm is gearing up to fly the flag for Spain in the upcoming Paris Olympics, with the golf competition set to unfold at Le Golf National, a venue that holds special memories for him. The scene of his Ryder Cup debut for Team Europe back in 2018, Le Golf National witnessed Rahm’s significant contribution to Europe’s triumph over the USA by a margin of 7.5 points, despite being the youngest contender in the fray.

Despite stumbling in his initial matches, Rahm clinched a victory against Woods on the final day, sinking a tense four-foot putt on the 17th hole and subsequently unleashing a torrent of emotion in celebration. Reflecting on his victory over Woods and its place in his list of career highs, the champ of the 2023 Masters shared: “It ranks very high. It was my first ever Ryder Cup point, so it ranks very high.”

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He continued: [I] didn’t have my best week, and I got carried by [Justin] Rosey on the first match and we lost on 18 and [Ian] Poulter kind of carried me in the second one. We lost to a great [Jordan] Spieth/Justin Thomas duo, and to win my first Ryder Cup point on Sunday against Tiger, it’s quite unique.

“So yeah, it’s going to be very high up there. I would always say it’s the biggest overreaction to a four-footer I’ve ever seen, but it’s still what I felt in that moment.”

Despite a glittering career that has seen him clinch two majors and multiple PGA Tour titles, Rahm remains unsure of what an Olympic gold medal would mean to him. “I don’t know,” he revealed ahead of the games.

UPDATE:Tiger Woods speaks out regarding 2025 US Ryder Cup captain selection

“It’s a hard question to answer because there’s been things in my life that I thought were going to have a different impact personally that after accomplishing them luckily I felt more or less than I thought. If I can end up with the win on Sunday next week, you can ask me the same question and I’ll be able to tell you.”

While Rahm has enjoyed a stellar career on the PGA Tour, he has yet to secure a victory on the LIV Golf circuit since his high-profile move. With the summer Olympics fast approaching, golf fans will be glued to their screens from August 1-4 for the men’s event, while the women’s showdown is scheduled for August 7-10.