Two-time major winner and 2017 FedExCup Champion brings resume that includes stellar record in team competition
Atlanta Drive GC today announced PGA TOUR superstar Justin Thomas is the first golfer to headline Atlanta’s roster for the debut of a unique team golf league in January 2024. Three other TOUR players will be announced soon to fill out Atlanta’s entry in TGL presented by Sofi, the new tech-forward, primetime team golf league developed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TMRW Sports in partnership with the PGA TOUR.
Thomas is one of the most exciting and popular golfers on the PGA TOUR. At just 30-years old, Thomas has won two majors, a FedExCup, THE PLAYERS Championship and a PGA TOUR Player of the Year Award. Thomas is also only one of six players in PGA TOUR history with 15 victories and two major championships before the age of 30. His combined record in Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup competition is 15-6-3, a stellar record among active professional golfers in match play, a format similar to what will be played in TGL.
The son of a PGA professional and a Louisville, Kentucky native, Thomas has career earnings of over $54 million and was the top collegiate golfer in the country at the University of Alabama before turning professional in 2013. An avid sports fan, shoe collector and Alabama Crimson Tide superfan, Thomas will be part of a four-player roster of world-class golfers set to compete for Atlanta Drive GC.
“Atlanta and the state of Georgia have been the home to some of the biggest sporting events in the country and I’m excited to represent fans there as part of TGL and Atlanta Drive GC,” said Thomas. “To be aligned with an owner like Arthur Blank and his incredible variety of businesses as they expand their golf portfolio, feels like a great fit for me. I promise our team will compete hard to win championships and have a lot of fun along the way. We will represent Atlanta in the best way possible while helping grow the game everywhere through this unique TGL format.”
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Justin Thomas to Atlanta Drive GC and believe he’s a perfect fit for who we want this team to be and how we want to play,” said PGA TOUR Superstore CEO Dick Sullivan, who oversees Atlanta Drive GC. “Thomas’ remarkable talent, unwavering dedication to the game and competitive spirit make him a fan favorite and someone who represents the values that drive all AMBSE teams and businesses.”
Atlanta Drive GC is part of Arthur M. Blank’s AMB Sports and Entertainment (AMBSE) portfolio and will compete in TGL’s first season, launching in January 2024.
To confirm the four players on each team roster, TGL worked with teams, players and player management with the goal that a player’s TGL schedule will be largely complementary to his PGA TOUR competitive schedule, as well as the ESPN broadcast schedule, league and team competitive balance.
TGL presented by SoFi is a new golf league that fuses advanced tech and live action with teams of PGA TOUR stars across a season of matches in prime time starting on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, on ESPN and ESPN+. SoFi Center is TGL’s custom-built arena in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on the campus of Palm Beach State College. Technology is a foundational element of TGL, offering fans a progressive, shorter format presentation of team golf, featuring 24 of the PGA TOUR’s biggest superstars.
Source : PGA Tour