TGL received off to a rip-roaring begin on Tuesday evening contained in the So-Fi Heart in Palm Seashore Gardens, Florida – shiny lights, pumping music and much – I imply, heaps – of influencers; WWE-like participant introductions; ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt waxing poetic on the published.
After which it was Shane Lowry’s flip to hit the primary shot in league historical past.
There was only one drawback: He forgot his tee.
“There was all kinds happening,” Lowry stated. “Yeah, I used to be just a little bit nervous.”
Lowry shortly recovered, teaming with The Bay Golf Membership comrades Ludvig Aberg and Wyndham Clark to ship a 9-2 win over New York Golf Membership within the inaugural matchup for the indoor golf league backed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who have been each within the crowd for opening evening.
Fifteen holes of this revolutionary tackle simulator golf have been performed contained in the 250,000-square-foot enviornment that encompasses a display 24 instances that of a daily simulator and a 22,475-square-foot, turfed short-game space full with a revolving digital inexperienced, the place Aberg rolled in a 15-footer on the opening gap for the league’s first birdie.
A gap later, Aberg turned the primary TGL participant to discover a penalty space, on the par-5 Choose Yer Plunder (gap of the evening?), although The Bay nonetheless led 6-1 after 9 holes of three-man alternate shot.
“I’ve all the time stated that I’m so jealous of basketball and soccer gamers as a result of they get to do that rather a lot and we don’t,” Aberg stated whereas chatting with Van Pelt after the match. “So, this complete stadium-like really feel … it will get you going just a little bit completely different than a standard golf match.
Aberg added: “My coronary heart was racing, I used to be sweating … it was a distinct aggressive surroundings that we’re not likely used to, however I feel that is the long run, that is the place the sport’s going to move, and I like it.”
That’s when DJ Khaled stepped in, interrupting the dwell TV interview, to drape a SportsCenter High 10 chain round Aberg’s neck. Khaled was proven seconds into the published and was additionally interviewed by ESPN’s Marty Smith whereas Matt Fitzpatrick hit a shot; Fitzpatrick’s ball practically rolled off a cliff, too, whereas Khaled rambled.
OK, so it wasn’t an ideal debut, however there’s a pleasant basis to construct on.
The shot clock, “enforced” by NBA ref Derrick Stafford, saved a swift tempo. The banter was stable, particularly from best-on-the-mic Xander Schauffele, Lowry and Clark, who might be heard chirping at Woods after Woods stated throughout his time within the sales space that New York, already down large, must be throwing the hammer to double the factors (one other criticism: why is the hammer a flag?).
“Tiger, have you ever ever performed hammer?” Clark shouted. “They’re off the inexperienced!”
Schauffele throwing the hammer flag in entrance of Lowry proper earlier than a drive was good theatre, as was Rickie Fowler conceding a putt to Lowry earlier than realizing the viewers was unaware; Fowler then instructed Lowry to play alongside, and as Lowry struck his putt, Fowler tossed the flagstick down on the inexperienced to reject the ball.
The evening wrapped with a 729-yard par-5, although by that point the excitement had simmered amid The Bay’s blowout. The match final slightly below 2 hours, ending simply after 11 p.m. ET. Subsequent Tuesday evening will see two new groups compete, as Woods is predicted to make his TGL debut with Jupiter Hyperlinks Golf Membership, which can tackle Collin Morikawa and Los Angeles Golf Membership.
“This was only a dream conjured up,” Woods stated through the broadcast. “Rory and I have been speaking about it; it’s exhausting to imagine that dream got here into actuality and we have been capable of take golf into one other stratosphere, actually.”
