After several hindrances in its way, the tech-based league created by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy has finally kickstarted. The first match will be broadcast on Tuesday night, with ESPN and ESPN+ from 9:00 pm ET. The inaugural day will be pitting the New York Golf Club which includes Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Rickie Fowler against The Bay Golf Club which has Ludvig Åberg, Wyndham Clark, and Shane Lowry. But who will be the commentators for the event?

Matt Barrie will serve as the play-by-play commentator for ESPN’s full coverage of the TGL season, with Marty Smith reporting and Scott Van Pelt hosting. Barrie will also co-host the 2 p.m. ET edition of Live From each week, bringing viewers closer to the action. Van Pelt hosted the pre-match and intermission segments from the SportsCenter studio in Washington, D.C. Barrie called the action from the broadcast booth inside the SoFi Center, TGL’s custom-built venue. At the same time, Smith served as a roving reporter, gaining access to the golfers, team owners, and celebrities in attendance. 

“Scott, Matt, and Marty have years of experience working together on ESPN’s annual coverage of the Masters and PGA Championship, as well as on SportsCenter and other programming,” said Mike McQuade, ESPN’s Executive Vice President of Sports Production. “They will make a strong team and we’re looking forward to the debut on January 7.”

Barrie is really excited for TGL, more so, because of its team element; “To me, the best thing about the Ryder Cup is that it’s a team sport. And fans galvanize around the team. The same thing will happen in TGL. Tiger, Rory, Xander, and JT [Justin Thomas], aren’t playing for themselves. They’re playing with teammates. That will make it exciting.”

Another thing that Matt Barrie really is looking forward to TGL is trash-talking. “Golf is a gentlemen’s sport. Hats off and handshakes. Not TGL. We’re encouraging and want the trash talk. The players are mic’d up for a reason. I can’t wait to see who emerges as the league’s best trash-talker,” said the play-by-play commentator.

Having spent so many days at the SoFi center during rehearsal and preparations, he knows that it will attract many celebrities; “I have a feeling as the weeks go on, more celebrities and star athletes will show up to the So-Fi Center to see TGL in person. The rumored guest list is already amazing. I can’t wait to see how it grows.”

As per him Barrie, TGL is not just about swinging at the simulator, it’s so much more than that.“This isn’t just swing away. There are several layers of strategy involved. Where to hit it. When to use the hammer (increases hole by a point), when to use a timeout. Getting to hear these thoughts out loud among the world’s best will be fascinating,” said the man.

The TGL is expected to be very exciting and will be a great first-hand experience for people who will get the opportunity to attend the match from the SoFi Center in Florida. However, not everyone can be a part of it, so most people will be watching it live from the comfort of their houses. Here’s how you can do it, too.

TGL will be broadcasting globally

TGL has also confirmed that the entire match will be featured on several regional sports channels and that too completely live. You do not have to worry about missing out on even the slightest of fun. This announcement was made just a few days after TGL completed its deal with Sky Sports in October. TGL’s partnership with Sky Sports marked one of the most significant and far-reaching broadcast deals for Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

Fans across countries like England, Austria, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Wales can watch TGL on Sky Sports, Sky Italy, and Sky Germany. In South America, the tournament will be available via the Claro network, while in Canada, it will be broadcast live on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+, a deal announced in October 2024.

Are you excited about watching the newly formed league? Which team are you supporting? Let us know in the comments section below!