Leadership doesn’t always require a golf club in your hand. Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas are proving that this TGL season. Both are injured, but the latest February update from the SoFi Center showed they’re still all in, just from a different seat.
According to the latest update from TGL, both golf legends will continue supporting their respective teams from the sidelines throughout the season. Woods remains committed to Jupiter Links GC while Thomas backs Atlanta Drive GC. Despite their injuries preventing them from competing on the greens, both are trying to contribute.
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Justin Thomas underwent a microdiscectomy in November 2025 to address a disc issue causing persistent hip pain. The two-time major winner told ESPN’s Marty Smith he was “progressing along slowly but surely” and hoped to start hitting balls in January. Thomas hasn’t set a return date and is choosing patience over rushing back.
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods faces his own battle. He had disc replacement surgery in October 2025, his seventh back procedure in ten years. He also tore his Achilles tendon in March. By mid-January of the following year, Woods said he’d progressed to hitting short irons.
“I’m moving up to short irons, so that’s about it,” he said. “I need a little bit more than that to be able to play here.”
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Previously, Thomas had attended Atlanta Drive GC matches, cheering as his team extended its winning streak. Woods promised to be at every Jupiter Links match, mic’d up and offering strategic insights. He’s been analyzing shots, discussing game plans, and keeping his team engaged.
Tiger Woods wore his signature red varsity jacket with the number 50, which instantly went viral. Thomas lent his wedge to teammate Patrick Cantlay, who used it to hole out during a crucial match. These gestures keep team morale high when results aren’t cooperating.
Talking about gestures, in October 2025, Thomas appeared on The Drop and teased TGL action while sharing banter with Woods. Their bond has always been visible, and now it’s playing out differently—supporting from the stands instead of competing on the course.
Atlanta Drive GC has thrived. The defending champions won their first two Season 2 matches, extending their winning streak to nine out of their last ten TGL matches. Billy Horschel has been their anchor, racking up 16 singles points and delivering in clutch moments. Even without Thomas on the course, Atlanta sits atop the standings.
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Thomas also expressed his excitement on social media after the win: “2-0! LFG boys.”
Jupiter Links GC tells a different story. Woods’ team has dropped both opening matches, falling to 0-2 this season. They’ve struggled with putting and hammer strategy, two critical components in TGL’s fast-paced format. The team needs a turnaround to reach the playoffs.
September 28, 2025, Farmingdale, Ny, United States: FARMINGDALE, NY – SEPTEMBER 28: Justin Thomas of Team USA putts on hole 17 during the Ryder Cup – Singles Matches at Bethpage Black Golf Course on September 28, 2025 in Farmingdale, NY. Ryder Cup – Singles Matches PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY – ZUMAt139 20250928_aaa_t139_194 Copyright: xAlxChang/IsixPhotosx
While Woods cheers from the stands, he’s simultaneously navigating high-stakes negotiationsthat will define TGL’s next chapter.
Tiger Woods plots TGL’s future
This season ends TGL’s multi-year partnership with ESPN, and co-founder Tiger Woods is already thinking about what’s next. Mike McCarley, the CEO of TGL, told Sports Business Journal that the league has been open to trying out different time slots and broadcast platforms to get the most viewers. The league has averaged 500,000 viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC.
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TGL tries to avoid scheduling matches at the same time as major PGA Tour events by moving them to Mondays or adjusting start times. Even though it was NFL Week 17, the first episode of Season 2 on ABC averaged 646,000 viewers. That’s only 30% less than the first episode of Season 1, which aired on a quieter Tuesday night.
New partnerships have come about because the league has been successful. TGL just announced a deal with HypGames that will add four custom TGL holes to the PGA Tour Pro Golf game on Apple Arcade. This is TGL’s first deal to license its intellectual property, which gives fans new ways to interact with famous holes like The Stinger and The Plank.
As the ESPN deal comes to an end, Woods and McIlroy are looking into ways to reach more media outlets. This could include finding partners for the upcoming women’s league, WTGL. McCarley said ESPN has been a “very good thought partner,” suggesting the relationship could last beyond 2026.
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