TGL, the simulator league co-founded by Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, has reached the championship round. Justin Thomas and Atlanta Drive GC face Rickie Fowler and New York GC in the best-of-three match. After a wild semi-final round, the two teams have set their lineups for Monday’s first match.
Lineups for match one of our best of three Finals series are set.
We’ll see you Monday night, 9pm ET on ESPN2. pic.twitter.com/6rJukcqyJF
— TGL (@TGL) March 21, 2025
Lineups for match one of our best of three Finals series are set. 
Thomas and Atlanta Drive made the final after upsetting The Bay Golf Club in the semis. Ludvig Äberg and The Bay lost only one match in TGL’s regular season. Atlanta’s lone regular season loss came to The Bay back in February. Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, and Billy Horschel took a 4-2 lead into singles and dominated that session to win 9-3. They will run out the same lineup this week, leaving Lucas Glover on the bench.
New York GC started the TGL season with an embarrassing defeat at the hands of The Bay. But two wins down the stretch over Woods’ Jupiter Links and McIlroy’s Boston Common got them to the playoffs. They upset Los Angeles Golf Club in the playoffs, handing them their first regulation loss. Cameron Young, Fowler, and Xander Schauffele will hit the simulator Monday night, leaving Matt Fitzpatrick on the bench.
The first match is Monday at 9 p.m. on ESPN2. Match 2 will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday with Match 3 immediately following if necessary.
TGL’s first season limps to the finish
Out of the gates, TGL was a raging success. Matches featuring Woods and McIlroy shined in the ratings while golf fans lauded the tech and banter between the players. But things changed once the PGA Tour season kicked into full gear. Ratings have dipped as the TGL players have played fuller PGA Tour schedules.
TGL is owned in part by the PGA Tour, meaning no LIV Golf players can participate in the league. The simulator league was founded as an incentive to keep players on the Tour and not jump. After committing to TGL, Tyrell Hatton jumped ship so it did not work to its original goal. But it has provided entertainment through the winter.
A good championship series can help create momentum for TGL moving forward. The new hammer rules have kept matches competitive and should play a big role in the title games. Throughout it all, the players have shown that they care which should translate into a competitive championship series.
Thomas just lost the Valspar Championship in the final three holes to Viktor Hovland on Sunday. We will see if exhaustion plays a role after a wild Sunday round.
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