Tiger Woods on wrong side of lopsided defeat in TGL debut

Tiger Woods embarked on a new challenge on Tuesday when he made his debut in the tech-infused indoor team golf league he co-founded with Rory McIlroy.

Woods, 49, was not at his best on a night when his Jupiter Links Golf Club were thrashed 12-1 by Los Angeles Golf Club but the greatest player of his generation still enjoyed the fast-paced twist to the age-old game.

"We were entertaining. We hit a lot of shots. I think the people here, they got to see how bad pros can be," a smiling Woods told reporters. "It was just a boat race. Oh, my goodness. But we had a great time."

One week after its launch, TGL rolled out the biggest name on its roster with hopes that Woods can help the sport cultivate a newer and younger audience.

Woods, with his mother and son Charlie among the capacity crowd of 1,500, arrived on the field of play sporting a red shirt and white pants and without any introduction but simply "Eye of the Tiger" blaring through the speakers.

And while a vastly different environment than pristine Augusta National, where Woods has won five Masters titles, the 15-time major winner still commanded the attention of the arena throughout the two-hour match even if he was far from his best.

"It's really neat, and it was intimate. I think that's one of the cool things about it," said Woods. "It's about entertaining. We had a laugh."

After missing the cut at the 2024 British Open, Woods had back surgery in September and did not compete again until playing alongside his son during a 36-hole event in December.

Prior to hitting the night's opening shot at a five-storey simulator screen Woods did his part to pump up the crowd as he utilized "The Hammer", doubling the value of the par-four first hole to two points.

Woods, playing alternate