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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
Former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele and Cameron Young are joining New York Mets owner Steve Cohen’s New York Golf Club franchise that will compete in the inaugural season of TGL presented by SoFi.
The tech-infused golf league that is being fronted by 15-time major champion Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy is scheduled to begin play Jan. 7, 2025, in prime time on ESPN and ESPN+.
“New Yorkers expect and deserve the best, and we couldn’t be more excited to have four of the best players in the world serve as an extension of the thriving golf and sporting culture of our city and region,” Cohen said in a statement. “Rickie, Xander, Matt, and Cameron’s unwavering dedication to the sport, successful track records, and passion for winning is undisputable, and we look forward to watching them compete on golf’s newest stage.”
Schauffele, the fifth-ranked golfer in the world, is a seven-time winner on the PGA Tour and won a gold medal at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. Fowler, 35, had a resurgence last year when he picked up his sixth PGA Tour victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic on July 2, his first win in more than four years.
“I’ve built my career on a foundation of hard work, grit, and determination, which couldn’t better reflect the people of New York City,” Schauffele said. “It’s a true honor to both grow the game and represent this incredible city.”
Fitzpatrick, 29, won his first major championship at the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. A 12-time worldwide winner, Fitzpatrick is the 11th-ranked player in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Young, a native of Scarborough, New York, attended high school in the Bronx. The former Wake Forest star has seven runner-up finishes in 60 tour starts, the most of any player without a victory dating back to 1970, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He was the 2022 PGA Tour rookie of the year.
The six-team league was scheduled to begin play on Jan. 9, 2024, but the launch was delayed after a storm knocked out electricity to the temporary power system and backup system at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, causing the dome to deflate and be damaged.
Along with Woods and McIlroy, PGA Tour stars Max Homa, Wyndham Clark, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa and others have committed to play in the league.