Woods and McIlroy’s league surges to $1 billion

Juan José Saldaña — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 20:22:16 +0000

The bet by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy to transform the way golf is consumed continues to gain value off the course. TMRW Sports, the company founded by both players alongside Mike McCarley and responsible for driving the technology-focused TGL league, has reached a valuation of $1 billion ahead of the competition’s third season. The figure follows a new funding round involving Dynasty Equity Partners and Connect Ventures, two funds that were already shareholders, although the total amount of capital raised has not been disclosed.

The jump reflects the speed at which a project founded in 2022 has grown, with the aim of bringing golf to new audiences and exploring sports formats that move away from the traditions of conventional courses. In just a few years, TMRW Sports has gone from being valued at nearly $500 million during its Series A to reaching $650 million in 2025 and now almost doubling that initial valuation to the $1 billion mark. Behind that growth is the confidence of investors linked to sports, entertainment and technology, as well as the ambition to build a company with a presence beyond a single competition.

A valuation that doubles in two years

The new valuation represents one of the most significant developments in TMRW Sports’ short corporate history. Just two years ago, during its Series A, the company was valued at nearly $500 million. In 2025, it returned to the market to raise additional funds in a round led by Silver Lake co-CEOs Egon Durban and Greg Mondre, together with WTSL, the investment vehicle of Patrick Whitesell, taking its valuation to $650 million at the time. The new funding confirms an accelerated growth trajectory for a company whose main calling card so far has been TGL.

The presence of Woods and McIlroy has been key to giving the project an identity that combines the historical weight of two of contemporary golf’s biggest figures with a proposition designed for an audience accustomed to faster, more audiovisual formats. Around them, an investor group has emerged that includes sports franchise owners and entertainment personalities such as Arthur Blank, David Blitzer, Carolyn Tisch Blodgett, Steph Curry, Alexis Ohanian, Fenway Sports Group, Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Rubin and Justin Bieber. That network of names illustrates the type of ecosystem TMRW Sports has managed to build: a mix of sports, technology and media capital betting on new ways of turning competitions into global products.

TGL is only the beginning of the expansion

The financial growth coincides with a new stage for the company. TGL’s third season will begin in 2027, after completing its initial two-year contract with ESPN, while TMRW Sports prepares other projects that significantly expand its reach. The launch of WTGL, the women’s competition that will take the model developed around golf into a new category, is scheduled for November 8 and will allow the company to explore another market within its sports strategy.

The expansion will not be limited to golf either. TMRW Sports has also been awarded the NFL contract to develop and operate a future professional flag football league for both men and women. For a company founded just four years ago, the $1 billion valuation comes at a moment when its structure is beginning to evolve from managing a specific competition into a platform with ambitions across different sports. Woods and McIlroy provided the face and sporting credibility for the initial idea, but the scale the project is beginning to reach shows that the bet is now looking to play on a much broader field than a single golf league.

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Rory McIlroy, one step away from becoming the highest-paid golfer in history

Juan José Saldaña — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:02:20 +0000

Rory McIlroy is getting closer and closer to reaching a record that for years seemed untouchable. The Northern Irishman, who recently won the Masters Tournament once again, is only a few million dollars away from surpassing Tiger Woods as the player with the highest career earnings from prize money in the history of the PGA Tour. The gap between the two has narrowed dramatically, and the current landscape seems to favor a change at the top in a ranking that had been dominated by Woods for decades.

The distance separating McIlroy from the historic mark is minimal. Since turning professional in 2007, the European has earned $114.7 million in prize money, while Tiger Woods remains at the top with $121 million collected over a thirty-year career. However, the American is going through a long period away from top-level competition, while McIlroy is enjoying one of the strongest and most profitable moments of his career.

The year that could change PGA Tour history

2026 appears to be the ideal moment for McIlroy to complete the overtake. Tiger Woods has earned just $211,600 since the pandemic, reflecting both his physical struggles and his limited appearances on the golf course. His recent personal issues and the uncertainty surrounding his competitive return suggest that he will struggle to defend his place at the top of the PGA Tour earnings ranking.

In contrast, McIlroy is going through a period of tremendous consistency. In 2025 alone, he earned $17 million in prize money, the highest figure of his entire career. That performance, combined with his recent titles and his ability to remain among the best players on the circuit, has allowed him to rapidly close in on Woods’ record. Beyond the money, the possibility of surpassing him also symbolizes a generational shift in world golf, where McIlroy has established himself as one of the defining figures of his era.

Scottie Scheffler and the Spanish players are also climbing the rankings

The historical earnings podium on the PGA Tour also reflects the rise of Scottie Scheffler. The American currently sits in third place with $105.7 million in career earnings and has become a direct threat to both Woods and McIlroy. Scheffler is the only golfer to have surpassed the $20 million mark in a single season, and his recent figures explain why many project him as a future leader of this ranking.

Among the Spanish players, Sergio García remains the highest-ranked. The golfer from Castellón has earned $55.1 million thanks to his eleven victories and a twenty-seven-year professional career, placing him 19th in the all-time rankings. Right behind him is Jon Rahm with $53.6 million, although his current earnings in LIV Golf are not included in the PGA Tour figures. Further down the list are José María Olazábal, Rafa Cabrera, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, and Gonzalo Fernández, all of whom have managed to surpass the one-million-dollar mark in official prize money.