TGL, the golf league that involves the best players on the PGA Tour playing team golf on innovative simulators has been mostly a success in its first year, but many questioned where the stars of the LPGA Tour were. Well, we may have our answer.
Alexis Ohanian, Reddit co-founder and husband of Serena Williams did a recent interview with Front Office Sports, where he expanded on his interest to bring the biggest stars in the women’s game to TGL. Ohanian leads the ownership group for LA Golf Club that includes women’s sports icons Serena and Venus Williams, Alex Morgan and former LPGA superstar Michelle Wie West. Ohanian says it has always been a goal to him for the TGL to expand to the women’s game.
From Front Office Sports:
“My very first question, at the very first pitch, was: ‘Why aren’t you doing the LPGA? When are you doing the LPGA?’ So, I invested under the condition that I’d have a right of first refusal for an L.A. women’s golf team. So, I have that, and I’m gonna exercise it. I’ve been asking for it for two and a half years—however long it’s been. I know these things take time. Bringing Michelle (Wie West) in, we couldn’t ask for a better LP, who’s involved, who’s got all the things she has and brings to the table. I can’t comment on when, but I know I’m finally gonna get my wish here in the not-too-distant future” said Ohanian.
In his current plan, Ohanian would bring full teams of women’s golfers to the TGL as opposed to folding them into the already existing teams.
“I have literally written into the contract that I have a right of first refusal on the women’s team in L.A. That is the reason why I wanted to own a team. If there’s a solution in transition, and it’s a mixed format—awesome, cool, let’s go. But yes, I would want all the above.”
This would be a big deal for the LPGA Tour. The reception of the TGL has been mostly positive, and it owns primetime TV slots on ESPN that without question would bring increased exposure to the biggest stars in the game. It seems the question no longer is if the TGL brings in women, but when it does.
