The controversial author who earlier questioned Tiger Woods’ car crash, chimed in about TGL. The tech-infused league has garnered its fair share of interest, not least because of the involvement of a certain Standford dropout. Analysts believe the creation of the league is a direct response to LIV Golf from Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, the two most loyal soldiers in Jay Monhan’s army in his battle with the rebel league. However, would it ever exist without LIV Golf? 

If you ask the veteran sports journalist, he would chuckle and say “It’s quite ironic.” The former Sports Illustrated reporter, who is most famous for his warts-and-all book, “LIV and Let Die,” frankly admitted his insouciance about the league. Nevertheless, he couldn’t resist sharing his hot take.

Why did the PGA Tour sanction TGL but not LIV Golf?

Interestingly, TGL takes a massive detour from the way traditional golf is played. Other than the fact, that it’s effectively an ‘indoor’ golf game with simulators, there will be a nine-hole match between three-player teams, while one sits out on the bench. Alan Shipnuck spots a similarity with LIV Golf here. Speaking with Today’s Golfer, he said, “It’s a radical breakaway league with a team format and an emphasis on attracting younger fans… where have we heard that before?! It’s quite ironic.”

Moreover, debuting on ESPN Primetime, TGL can turn out to be a direct competitor to the PGA Tour. Shipnuck finds it strange that the Tour is still supportive of the league. “It’s interesting because TGL is a breakaway league that’s going to compete with the PGA Tour for viewers and sponsors, yet the PGA Tour is supporting TGL and is getting paid by the TGL.”

The former Golf Digest columnist believes after losing stars like Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and Bryson DeChambeau to the breakaway league, for Monahan, “keeping Tiger and Rory in the fold was deeply important, so whatever they wanted they would get.” The situation would have been a little different earlier. But now, Greg Norman has changed the equation, so TGL has become a “mechanism for buying the loyalty of all the other Tour players who are now signed up for this league and being paid to be part of it.”

Read More: As Dark Clouds Loom Large Over His Return, Will Tiger Woods’ TGL Dream Also Suffer a Heartbreaking Twist of Fate?

However, Shipnuck appears rather cynical about its success and worth. “I don’t know if TGL will succeed on its merits and I’m personally not that excited about the product” The author went on to highlight the importance of TGL and said, “but it has become an important part of this battle.” These comments echo similar sentiments he expressed earlier on the Fore Play Podcast.

Shipnuck believes LIV Golf gave Tiger Woods a purpose

Alan Shipnuck felt that the LIV Golf posed a challenge to the Tour. A ‘putsch’ that Monahan had no answer for. What he needed was someone from inside to take up the mantle of fighting the usurper. Tiger Woods became that guardian knight when he and his Norther Irish friend, floated TGL.

The author of “LIV and Let Die” said, “He did not have to take on this fight, but he did, and it meant so much to all the other guys loyal to the tour.” In fact, the veteran sports journalist believes, after his accident and lack of playtime, “LIV Golf gave Tiger purpose.” The purpose is to save the Tour from the steady onslaught of the PIF-funded league. 

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