The TGL golf league is adding fresh blood for its third season. Mark Schlabach of ESPN reported Tuesday that Blades Brown and Ben James are joining the circuit. They arrive alongside rookie Jackson Koivun to fill out the rosters for the 2027 campaign. This move signals a shift toward younger talent as the league looks to build long-term interest. Tiger Woods also returns to lead the Jupiter Links GC after missing the entire second regular season due to injury.
Brown made headlines on Oct. 11 by becoming the youngest Korn Ferry Tour graduate to earn a PGA Tour card. He finished ninth in the standings to secure his spot. James, a former standout at Virginia, joins the defending champion Los Angeles GC. He was the top player in the PGA Tour University rankings and earned four-time All-American honors. These two additions bring a mix of youth and proven skill to the indoor arena.
New Roster Rules Take Effect
The league is changing how teams are built for the upcoming year. ESPN reported that TGL increased roster sizes to five golfers for season three. Despite the larger roster size, only three players will actually compete in any single match. This format allows teams to carry depth while keeping the on-screen action focused. Rufus Hack, the president of golf for TMRW Sports, explained the strategy behind the change.
“Our teams are developing distinct identities that reflect their players’ personalities and competitive fire, the character of the cities they represent and the vision of their ownership groups,” Hack said in a statement. The goal is to make each team feel unique and tied to its home city. With Motor City Golf Club joining as a new franchise, the league now has seven teams total. The expansion adds more room for rivalries to grow.
Star Power and Team Dynamics
Each team now features a blend of veterans and rising stars. The Bay Golf Club will field Brown alongside Ryan Fox, Wyndham Clark, Min Woo Lee, and Ludvig Åberg. Los Angeles GC brings back Collin Morikawa, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, and Sahith Theegala to support James. Brooks Koepka and Koivun were selected by the Motor City Golf Club team, which was the first expansion franchise. They also added Jake Knapp, Si Woo Kim, and Bud Cauley to complete their squad.
Other teams are making their own moves to stay competitive. Alex Fitzpatrick and Ben Griffin were acquired by New York Golf Club. Jupiter Links Golf Club swapped Kevin Kisner for Keith Mitchell. Chris Gotterup transitioned from an alternate position to become a full-time member of Atlanta Drive GC. The roster shuffles show that teams are actively looking for the right mix of talent to win matches. Xander Schauffele will sit out this season from his team. Then Woods, Max Homa, and Tom Kim round out the Jupiter Links roster.
The Road Ahead for 2027
The third season promises more intensity than the first two. “After two seasons, there’s history between these teams, and those growing rivalries bring added intensity to the competition,” Hack noted. The addition of new players brings fresh energy to established teams. Fans have plenty to look forward to when the action starts in 2027. The league is betting that these new faces will help cement TGL as a permanent part of the golf calendar.
The structure remains the same, but the depth has increased. Teams can now rest key players or rotate them based on match conditions. This flexibility could change how managers approach the short-game format. With seven teams and expanded rosters, the competition will be fierce.