Michelle Wie West invests in TGL's inaugural team
The GIST: Last week, recently retired golfer Michelle Wie West joined Alex Morgan and the Williams sisters as an investor in virtual golf league TGL’s inaugural team, the Los Angeles Golf Club (LAGC). Nice shot!
The company: Founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, TGL is making rapid advancements in the burgeoning sports tech market. It recently announced SoFi as its presenting sponsor, confirmed three new franchise locations (Boston, NY, and Atlanta), and will tee off for its first season in January, potentially on ESPN.
The trend: TGL wants to offer a fresh approach to the game, which could really use a rebrand — it's still a big ol' boys club, with a history of gendered, racialized, and classist barriers to entry.
- Despite this, interest and participation in golf is surging. As of 2022, after a pandemic-induced bump, 37% of junior golfers were girls, more than 25% were POC, and there were approximately 6.4M total on-course female golfers.
The motivation: It's a BFD that Wie West believes TGL can "democratize golf." She cited the Williams sisters’ LAGC investment as inspiration for her own, and hopes the league’s technology will allow women to engage with PGA athletes in an unprecedented way and reach a more diverse audience. That's big, Wiesy.
The LPGA context: Wie West's endorsement aligns with exciting LPGA developments, including a potential new strategic partner tasked with increasing investment into the tour. Plus, women’s golf is entering the international (athletic) arms race: Saudi interest could bolster growth as rumors circulate about a women’s LIV Golf league. It’s time for sponsors to hop on the golf cart and be an Ally to the women's game.
