Tiger Woods took aim at LIV Golf while promoting his upcoming tech league, admitting he “couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on” in the Saudi-backed tournament.
On Tuesday, Woods and sports investor David Blitzer were announced as owners of Jupiter Links GC, the sixth and final team for the first golf competition of its kind it will launch in January.
During the announcement, the golf legend spoke about how the playing format for his new league – called The Golf League – will be easier to follow than LIV.
“Some of the things I saw in LIV… I couldn’t figure out what was going on,” Woods said. ‘It’s very simple here.’
LIV, founded by Australian entrepreneur Greg Norman in 2014 to rival the PGA tour, had its inaugural season in 2022. The league has been heavily criticized by human rights groups since its founding over concerns about sportswashing, with Norman accused of targeting the Saudi government to have helped make financial gains.
Tiger Woods took a dig at LIV Golf while promoting his upcoming launch of The Golf League
Golf icon says he ‘couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on’ during Saudi-backed tour
LIV, founded by Australian entrepreneur Greg Norman (pictured) in 2014 to rival the PGA tour, had its first season in 2022
Woods had previously turned down a $700 million offer to join the league.
“I don’t agree with it,” Woods said of golfers joining LIV in 2022. “I think what they’ve done is they’ve turned their backs on what allowed them to get to this position.”
Woods confirmed he will play for Jupiter Links GC in TGL in January. This would be Woods’ first appearance since withdrawing from The Masters in April and undergoing ankle surgery shortly afterwards.
“Having the opportunity to not only compete, but also own a team to represent Jupiter is an exciting next chapter for me,” Woods said Tuesday.
Woods called TGL a “modern take on traditional golf” that will ultimately make it more accessible by harnessing the glitz of technology. The key to the modernization is playing at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, an arena that seats about 1,600 spectators.
Teams will compete for nine holes of alternating shot and six holes of singles, starting by hitting shots from real grass on a screen 20 times larger than a standard simulator, and then switching to actual shots from 50 yards or closer . into a green complex that can rotate 360 degrees to create different angles. They place a plastic surface on which contours can change.
Woods will launch The Golf League alongside Rory McIlroy in January next year
The game starts on January 9. The two-hour matches – two teams at a time – will air on ESPN on Mondays and/or Tuesdays and end before the Masters. The prize money is $21 million, of which $9 million goes to the winning team and players ultimately gain equality in the competition.
Technology is one thing. Woods also said the two-hour period is key to attracting fans.
‘Generally playing golf takes about five to six hours. In today’s world, with all our smartphones, it’s hard for anyone to spend five to six hours without looking at their phone. So the shorter the time, the better it is.’