7 big PGA Tour names missing from TGL

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s new tech-infused simulator league launches on Tuesday night and the duo will provide the star power for a concept that is golf “re-imagined.”

Yet when the sport takes a step into the unknown on the opening night of the TGL, Woods and McIlroy will not be competing in the first match between New York Golf Club and The Bay Golf Club.

Instead, New York’s Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele and Matt Fitzpatrick take on The Bay’s Shane Lowry, Ludvig Aberg and Wyndham Clark in front of 1,500 fans in the purpose-built arena in Florida.

And while all are proven winners, the success of the league will hinge on the kind of interest these players can create in the start-up for casual sports fans in a unique made-for-TV environment.

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TGL is sanctioned by the PGA Tour and none of the 24 players across the six teams are from the LIV Golf circuit, meaning personalities like Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson will be absent.

But, for various other reasons, there are also some key absentees from the PGA Tour who could have provided a boost to the league.

Here are seven big name PGA Tour players not competing in the inaugural season of TGL…

Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler has delayed his start of the season due to a freak hand injury sustained on Christmas Day, but the world No.1 had not signed up to TGL anyway.

Travelling to Florida on a Tuesday from his home in Dallas while juggling the PGA Tour schedule clearly didn’t seem practical for new father Scheffler.

Viktor Hovland

The Norwegian, who broke his toe when hitting it against the bedframe in his hotel room before his first start of the season at The Sentry, now resides in Florida but has turned down the TGL opportunity.

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Jordan Spieth

With the players mic’d up, Spieth would have no doubt provided great entertainment in the TGL arena, but like Scheffler he lives in Dallas and has declined the chance to compete.

Tony Finau

The American, who has been continually linked with LIV in the last two seasons, has big family commitments with five children back home in Arizona.

Jason Day

The former world No.1 is prioritising time at home with his family in Ohio and will rest before tournaments instead of competing in TGL.

Robert MacIntyre

The Oban man moved to Orlando on his first jaunt to the PGA Tour last year but is now set to split his time back home in Scotland in 2025. MacIntyre won two PGA Tour-sanctioned events this season after the TGL invites were sent out and now appears like he would have been a good fit for the concept.

Brian Harman

There will be no lefty in the TGL arena, with the 2023 Open champ also not teeing it up across the 15 regular season matches.

Click here for the six teams in full, including all 24 players competing in TGL.