Three Ryder Cup Winners Join Tom Kim In Signing Up For TGL

Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton have signed up for Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods' new TGL team event

Lowry Fleetwood and Hatton
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Four more top golfers have signed up to the Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy-backed TMRW Golf League (TGL), hot on the heels of the announcement of a TV deal for the new project.

Three of Europe's Ryder Cup-winning side have joined the new team golf venture - Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton - and they're joined by the exciting Tom Kim.

The four new additions make it 12 Ryder Cup stars now involved in TGL, and there are just two of the 18 spots left up for grabs.

TGL has also just announced that ESPN will show the inaugural season of action, which will start on January 9 next year. ABC will also show a preview shot on December 30 - the day of Woods’ 48th birthday.

The format will see six teams of three golfers compete on Monday nights in a move that aims to offer an exciting and different experience to a regular PGA Tour event.

Two-hour matches will be played out in front of 2,000 fans with all golfers set to be mic'd up. There will be 15 regular season matches with an additional two playoff events.

"I have been excited about the TGL since it was announced," said Fleetwood. "Many of my fondest memories in golf have been playing in team competitions. 

"With the players who have already been announced along with the names and stature of the ownership groups and investors, the league is in position to showcase our sport in a cool format to a new group of viewers and fans."

The 16 TGL players already confirmed are:

  • Tiger Woods
  • Rory McIlroy
  • Justin Thomas
  • Jon Rahm
  • Xander Schauffele
  • Rickie Fowler
  • Justin Rose
  • Billy Horschel
  • Collin Morikawa
  • Max Homa
  • Matt Fitzpatrick
  • Adam Scott
  • Tyrrell Hatton
  • Tommy Fleetwood
  • Tom Kim
  • Shane Lowry

There are also some big names involved in team ownership, with Serena and Venus Williams owning the Los Angeles franchise and NY Mets owner Steven Cohen fronting the New York team.

Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC owners Fenway Sports Group own the Boston franchise while Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is in charge of TGL Atlanta. Two owners are yet to be announced.

Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.