Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were not present to watch the TGL Finals (
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, both involved in the creation of TGL through TMRW Sports, were noticeably absent from the TGL Finals. Their respective teams, Jupiter Links Golf Club and Boston Common Golf, didn’t make it to the final round.
Instead, Atlanta Drive GC (ADGC), led by an enthusiastic Billy Horschel, battled against Xander Schauffele’s New York Golf Club (NYGC) for the SoFi Cup. In a thrilling turn of events, Horschel initiated a remarkable comeback on the 13th hole, with Patrick Cantlay sealing the victory and $9 million top prize over NYGC after Schauffele and a late hammer throw had caused controversy in the first half of the match.
Despite the riveting competition at the SoFi Center, the two PGA Tour stars chose not to join the spectators, focusing instead on their personal and professional commitments. McIlroy, aged 35, was seen heading to Augusta for Masters training before preparing for the Houston Open, according to RadarAtlas.
On the other hand, Woods seemed to be taking some personal time, limiting his public appearances following the revelation of his relationship with Vanessa Trump, Donald Trump Jr. ‘s ex-wife. Although rumors suggest that Woods and Trump started dating in November 2024, the 49-year-old golfer only confirmed their relationship a day before the TGL Finals.
Woods took to social media with a heartfelt message alongside his new partner, saying: “Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together. At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts.”
The golf superstar is also on the mend from an Achilles injury he got while intensifying his training for the 2025 season. He’s had surgery and it looks like he’ll be sitting out the whole 2025 season as he fights back from yet another setback.
Arthur Blank, owner of the victorious ADGC, didn’t overlook the absence of Woods and McIlroy during his chat with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt at the cup ceremony. Blank praised the competitiveness of TGL and gave a shout-out to the absentees.
“Well, it’s just been incredible fun,” Blank told Van Pelt. “Really, throughout the entire season, it’s unbelievable. This is Match 19, and to think we’re champions at the end of that, it’s a credit, really.
“I want to name two players that are not here: Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, along with Mike [McCarley] here. It was really their vision to come up with this. God bless them, and our team here, these four unbelievable players. Ben over here was our manager on the field, and all of Atlanta could not have been more supportive and more exciting about it.”
Despite Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy not making it to the finale of their own league, TGL, Blank praised the duo for their efforts in launching the venture. “All of our guests who came here, they loved it,” said the 82 year old.
“It’s great for the game of golf. It’s great to see the game of golf grow in a variety of ways, and this is a beautiful, symbolic way for that to happen, and we’re privileged and honored to have the very first trophy.”
