Following the January 6th joint announcement by the PGA Tour and TMRW Sports regarding the formation of the WTGL, the addition has quickly become a major talking point across professional golf. Many have praised the launch of a women’s league under TGL. However, others are questioning why the format stops short of fully integrating male and female players.
WTGL Announcement Sparks Controversy
Among the biggest recent commitments to the WTGL is Michelle Wie West. As a five-time LPGA Tour winner who retired in 2023, she will return to competition this winter for the indoor league.
Wie West joins an already star-studded field that includes World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, World No. 3 Charley Hull, World No. 6 Lydia Ko, World No. 8 Lottie Woad, World No. 18 Brooke Henderson, World No. 65 Rose Zhang, and World No. 83 Lexi Thompson.
In a press release, Wie West shared her enthusiasm for the upcoming competition:
“As an investor in Los Angeles Golf Club and a fan of TGL, I’m excited for the chance to compete again through WTGL, which will be a powerful platform for women’s golf,” wrote Wie West.
“I’m passionate about growing the game, and TGL has proved how new formats through the lens of innovation and creativity can bring golf to a broader audience. The team aspect, matched with the unique environment at SoFi Center, is something I want to be part of and it’s going to be incredibly fun to challenge myself, this time alongside teammates, to compete against the best in the world.”
Nelly Korda’s Mixed Feelings
Notably absent from the commitment list is World No. 2 Nelly Korda. The 27-year-old expressed concerns about the separation between the men’s and women’s leagues.
“I have mixed feelings on it if I’m being very honest, and I’m surprised no other girls have, or no one’s really spoken out about it,” Korda told Golfweek earlier this year. “I think it’s a huge and unbelievable miss that we’re not playing alongside the men.”
However, she acknowledged that the creation of WTGL represents meaningful progress for women’s sports.
“I also think it’s great that we are getting this opportunity, so that’s my mixed feelings,” Korda said. “Like, I don’t think that there’s a downside. I just think that it would have been even greater to have both of them together.”
Outside Support
Korda’s point of view has found support outside of the LPGA Tour. Three-time PGA Tour winner Wyndham Clark supported the idea of a mixed competition.
“Yeah, I don’t see why not,” Clark said. “The Grant Thornton was a blast.”
“I got to play with Lexi [Thompson]. It’s really fun seeing their game, how good they are in certain parts of their game, that maybe they excel more than guys, and vice versa.”
“Yeah, it’s fun to compete with someone else that you’re not used to competing with. At TGL, I think that would be a blast. I think it would be good for the fans. So who knows. I know right now it’s just girls versus girls, but yeah, that would be kind of fun. Maybe there’s a Bay women’s team, and we do some cool stuff. I think that would be great.” Clark said.
As WTGL prepares for its inaugural season, the conversation around integration will likely continue. While the new league marks an important step for women’s golf, some believe the sport still has work to do.
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