Tiger Woods' TGL Debuts With Unique Overtime Rules and 'The Hammer' Strategy
Tiger Woods' new TGL golf league combines virtual simulator technology with live competition in an innovative format. Each match features two teams of three players competing across 15 holes.
The match format consists of two segments:
- Holes 1-9: "Triples" - 3-on-3 alternate shot competition
- Holes 10-15: "Singles" - Head-to-head rotation where each player plays two holes
Key Rules:
- 40-second shot clock with one-stroke penalty for violations
- Each team gets 4 timeouts per match (2 per segment)
- One point per hole won, zero points for ties
- "The Hammer" tactical element can increase hole value by one point
- Unique overtime format uses closest-to-pin competition
Scoring System:
- Regulation win: 2 points
- Overtime win: 2 points
- Overtime loss: 1 point
- Regulation loss: 0 points
Season Structure:
- Teams play 5 matches each
- Top 4 teams advance to semifinals
- Championship is best-of-three series
The league debuts on Tuesday nights on ESPN at 9 p.m. ET, starting with New York Golf Club (Schauffele, Fowler, Fitzpatrick) versus The Bay Area Golf Club (Aberg, Lowry, Clark).
Though Tiger Woods won't compete in the opening match, he'll be present for the inaugural event before his Jupiter Links Golf Club begins play the following week.
The TGL represents a bold experiment in modernizing golf, combining traditional skills with technology in a faster-paced, more dynamic format designed to attract new audiences while maintaining the sport's competitive integrity.