“We're not trying to replace traditional golf” – Rory McIlroy says TGL will ‘complement’ the PGA Tour amid criticism

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods joined hands to start a virtual golf series, named TGL.

The newly formed golf series has a unique format and will only feature 24 golfers, who compete in 15 games and head to the semi-final and final, which is different from the PGA Tour events.

It will start in January when golfers will play in teams of four. They will compete in a nine-hole alternate shot session. Three golfers will play on the six holes while the other will compete in singles on the three other holes.

The format of the TGL series is different from the regular golf tournaments. In a recent interview, Rory McIlroy said that his golf series is not trying to change the traditional golf format and is meant to be complementary.

McIlroy said at a Fenway Park news conference on Monday:

"This is meant to be complementary. We're not trying to replace traditional golf here. I think there's a place for everything."

McIlroy went on to say the new series looks more like the NBA as unlike traditional golf tournaments, they will play indoors:

"I think a lot of people will connect with the fact that we’re playing indoors.

"It’ll look nothing like traditional golf. It’ll look more like an NBA game, hopefully, and sort of trying to give people in the arena that courtside experience."

TGL Golf looks much more similar to LIV Golf. The Saudi circuit also has teams of four players and at the end of a regular series, they compete in the semifinal and final.

When McIlroy was asked how his series is different from LIV, he said the Saudi circuit is a 54-hole format series while TGL is a nine-hole series.

"You can make the argument that they haven't innovated enough away from what traditional golf is, or they've innovated too much that they're not traditional golf.

"They're sort of caught in a no-man's land, where this is so far removed from what we know golf to be," Rory McIlroy said.

---

Jon Rahm withdraws from Rory McIlroy's TGL

The initial roster for the 2023 season of TGL was confirmed last month including Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley. However, Rahm withdrew from the series, which sparked reports that the Spanish golfer is leaping from the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf next year.

Rory McIlroy was also surprised that the 2023 Masters winner backed out from the TGL. In a press conference on Monday, McIlroy opened up about Rahm and said:

"I spoke to Jon a couple days ago and would be very, very surprised if that were to happen ... I’m pretty confident Jon is a PGA Tour player."

At the moment, 23 players are confirmed for the series after Rahm left. However, the Spaniard is not the only top-ranked golfer, who will not be part of the new Indoor golf series. Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland are also not included in the roster.