The TGL is nice enjoyable. However he would make it even higher

We’re attempting to not be hasty. We’re attempting to be sensible. We’re attempting to be affected person, even. (And possibly we’re failing!) However the TGL is undoubtedly good enjoyable, having lived as much as lots of its lofty guarantees in its debut this week. To see a golf model really ship what it stated it might appears oddly particular on this second, however it solely encourages you to surprise … what might TGL seem like at its peak? 

Or slightly, who might become involved at its peak?

Opening night time on the SoFi Middle was undoubtedly a hit. Following it’s Tiger Woods’ debut on the mixed-reality setup, coming Tuesday. The league can have no drawback advertising and marketing that (and the remainder of Woods’ appearances) through the primetime attain of ESPN. However because the season pushes ahead and any remaining kinks within the system are hammered out, it is going to develop into obvious that the TGL has a ton of expertise — simply not all the expertise. 

With simply six groups of 4 gamers every, lots of the largest names within the sport are concerned, however many others should not. Which is the very first thing I consider when discussing TGL’s room for progress towards its theoretical ceiling. Who else might become involved to make area golf as massive as it may be?

The reply isn’t essentially Scottie Scheffler, one of the best participant on the earth. Neither is it Jordan Spieth, the three-time main champion who stays well-liked as ever however who can be recovering from a wrist harm that required surgical procedure. Each gamers hail from Texas and each would make TGL a stronger product, little doubt. However each had the choice of becoming a member of, and each declined. Spieth and Scheffler weren’t eager about including further journey to their schedules as they increase younger households in Dallas. 

Relatively, there’s one other Dallas resident who would supply all the recognition of Spieth and a lot of the efficiency of Scheffler. It’s Bryson DeChambeau. 

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DeChambeau appears customized made for TGL, together with his analytics-heavy strategy. The spin charges measured and spit out on display by TGL simulators — DeChambeau might recite them from really feel himself. The ever-changing slopes of the shape-shifting inexperienced would ship him spinning — in a you-can’t-look-away sort of manner. (Whether or not he likes it or not, a annoyed DeChambeau is nearly as entertaining as giddy DeChambeau.)

The person loves being on digicam, and performing on the heart of our collective consideration. Look no additional than the moments after his U.S. Open win at Pinehurst, the place he joined Stay From on Golf Channel, teaching Johnson Wagner on how you can hit the bunker shot that received the title for DeChambeau. He practices fist-pump celebrations within the mirror. Day-after-day of his present life is a content material day.

You possibly can think about DeChambeau racing to the sting of the sector to rile up followers, performing as gladiatorial as professional golfers might presumably be. The financial worth of the TGL product is on tv, however the true glue of this sports activities product is within the aura of the sector, the place about half of the spectators sit in additional muted hospitality zones. For, say, Week 7 of the TGL season to have juice, it’ll want golfers working onerous to offer it, utilizing extra than simply their 7-irons. 

One other necessary aspect of DeChambeau: he’s not everybody’s cup of tea. He by no means has been. However DeChambeau has grown in recognition in latest months, due largely to his content material creation and alignment with numerous YouTube golfers. He has hosted extraordinarily well-liked “Break 50” competitions with everybody from Tom Brady to president-elect Donald Trump. He even joined Trump on stage throughout election season. 

All of which makes him very seen, however not essentially beloved by all. (He additionally performs at a plodding sufficient tempo that shot clock violations will surely be in play.) Many PGA Tour loyalists have resisted the latest DeChambeau surge, holding agency towards his leaving for LIV Golf and becoming a member of a lawsuit towards the PGA Tour. His mere presence would add some assured power to the proceedings, figuring out how a lot among the TGL gamers wish to beat him. Or how a lot spectators might take pleasure in rooting towards him. 

Sadly, DeChambeau as TGL golfer isn’t within the playing cards … a minimum of proper now. He has his personal workforce golf to fret about elsewhere, beginning in Saudi Arabia in only a few weeks. And TGL is partly owned by the PGA Tour, which implies no LIV golfers will likely be participating, a minimum of not earlier than the Tour and the Saudi PIF finalize a deal that reunifies the game. However might we see it occur down the highway? 

In a world the place the Tour and the PIF finalize a deal, it might be among the many first few questions requested. Getting DeChambeau to participate within the Gamers Championship can be excessive on the precedence record, however slating him into the Tour’s shiny, new, tech-infused side-gig couldn’t be too far behind. 

Would you wish to see DeChambeau within the TGL? Who else would you slightly see? Feedback are welcomed by the writer at sean.zak@golf.com.