Starting signal for the WTGL: Lexi Thompson and four other top stars of women's golf are taking part

The future of women's golf is taking shape: The newly founded indoor league WTGL has officially confirmed its first five players. With a mix of current world number ones, major winners and a Hall-of-Famer, the league is already putting a clear exclamation mark behind its ambitions a year before the first tee-off.

The golf world is looking forward to Florida, where a new era is set to begin in the winter of 2026/27. As the initiator TMRW Sports - the company behind Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy - announced on Monday, some of the LPGA Tour 's most attractive names have been recruited for the WTGL.

The WTGL's "First Five": world class on the indoor stage

The league's first line-up reads like a "Who's Who" of modern golf. The group is led by Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul, the current world number one. She is flanked by New Zealander Lydia Ko, who is considered one of the most successful female athletes in history after winning gold in Paris and entering the Hall of Fame.

Also part of the first WTGL wave are England's star player Charley Hull, Canada's record winner Brooke Henderson and US icon Lexi Thompson. The latter already emphasized at an initial presentation at the SoFi Center that the inclusion of women in this innovative format will have a "huge impact" on the perception of the sport.

Modern entertainment: the technical concept behind the WTGL

The WTGL is much more than just classic golf in a hall. The format consistently relies on technological innovations and maximum fan proximity. The matches are played in a fast-paced team match play mode in the specially constructed arena in Palm Beach Gardens.

A central element of the WTGL is the acoustic accompaniment: all players are wired ("mic'd up") during the rounds. For the spectators, this means an unprecedented insight into the communication between the players - a level of transparency that is rarely seen in traditional tournament sport. CEO Mike McCarley hopes that this will create a deeper connection between the fans and the personalities of the professional golfers.

Strong investors and the question of Nelly Korda

The list of financial backers also shows that the project is on a solid footing. In addition to TMRW Sports, Trybe Ventures, an investment company owned by soccer legend Alex Morgan, in which Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach are also active, is also on board as lead investor.

Despite the euphoria surrounding the initial commitments, there is one issue that is being discussed in specialist circles: The absence of Nelly Korda. Arguably the most popular female golfer in the world at the moment, she has not yet been listed in the first wave. However, as Korda always emphasizes the importance of shared platforms and more visibility for the LPGA, it remains to be seen whether she will join the WTGL at a later date.

Conclusion: A milestone for the LPGA

With the signing of this high-caliber quintet, the WTGL proves that it does not want to be a mere addition, but a serious player in the sports business. The combination of world-class sport, arena atmosphere and digital presentation could be just the piece of the puzzle that opens up a new, younger target group for women's golf.