Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s highly anticipated, tech-infused golf league, TGL, officially launched Tuesday in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, delivering on the hype with a glitzy, innovative debut.

• TGL is played at the state-of-the-art SoFi Center, a 250,000-square-foot arena, boasting massive video screens, real grass, and even sand from Augusta National.

• Fans get an unprecedented, up-close experience: PGA Tour pros wear mics during play, offering real-time insights into strategy and emotions.

• The Bay Golf Club – featuring Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark, and Ludvig Åberg – secured the league's first victory, defeating the New York Golf Club 9-2.

• All eyes are now on Woods, set to play with his team, the Jupiter Links, next Tuesday.

Why It Matters

The reception has been largely positive, particularly the hybrid format's appeal. As Tiger put it, TGL has "elevated golf to another level,” and they’re just getting started.

To truly kick on, TGL needs compelling team narratives as novelty surrounding the format and celebrity attendees will naturally fade, but it’s off to a strong start.