TGL, the made-for-TV simulator golf league that just completed its third match on ESPN this Tuesday, may have accidentally hit one in the drink during its broadcast. Through three weeks, TGL has gotten off to a solid start, with the first week attracting nearly one million viewers on ESPN, surpassing its lead-in from a Duke basketball game. Week 2 saw Tiger Woods’ debut lift the league over the million-viewer mark. However, entering Week 3, golf fans were still waiting for a competitive match, as the first two matches ended in blowouts (9-2 and 12-1), lacking any real tension, with teams pulling away early and maintaining leads throughout.
That’s why, in Week 3, TGL would have preferred a match filled with drama. However, the league may have overstepped in their efforts to create that environment. During a mid-round interview with Billy Horschel from Atlanta Drive Golf Club, the eight-time PGA Tour winner might have said what everyone was thinking. “FanDuel wants me to gamble on this. Responsibly, of course,” he remarked, highlighting the gambling aspect related to TGL matches.
FanDuel wants me to gamble on this. Responsibly, of course. pic.twitter.com/3wIGEnXRjK
— Tee Times (@TeeTimesPub) January 22, 2025
“We’re having a great competition,” Horschel told ESPN’s Marty Smith, adding, “Obviously, the last few weeks have been blowouts, and this one isn’t. Jeff [Neubarth], the producer, has asked us nicely to keep it close, and we’re trying to accommodate him as much as we can.” It was evident from his tone that Horschel was being sarcastic, a sentiment he later confirmed in a post on X.
Anyone ever heard of sarcasm or a joke! 🤷♂️🤦♂️. Sorry if I suck at it. 😂😂.
I think we (both teams) clearly showed that we wanted to win every hole possible. https://t.co/i7djD9xMW3— Billy Horschel (@BillyHo_Golf) January 22, 2025
Despite Neubarth’s comments likely being in jest, joking with players about maintaining a close competition is not the best approach. Even though TGL managed to achieve a relatively close match on Tuesday, ending with a score of 4-0, the nature of the competition—designed to hold real stakes—calls for more caution regarding such remarks. The gambling aspect adds another layer of complexity; with major sportsbooks offering wagers on TGL matches, any perception of producer interference could significantly affect the public’s trust in the league from a betting perspective. It’s worth noting that this incident doesn’t seem to rise to that level of concern—it appears to be a misguided joke rather than a concerted effort to manipulate the competition.
