As Tiger Woods and TGL prepare to launch WTGL, not everyone is convinced the league has got its format right. World No. 1 Nelly Korda recently argued that women should compete alongside men rather than in a separate competition, calling it a missed opportunity for the sport. Now, former PGA Tour winner Smylie Kaufman has publicly backed her stance.

On The Smylie Show, Kaufman said, “Nelly has kind of voiced her opinion on this whole TGL concept as it relates to the women’s game. For me, it’s the perfect opportunity to not only pick up insights and learn from the best male players in the world, but also to watch the best women’s players compete alongside them. It gives fans a chance to see their personalities and appreciate their talent.”

Kaufman’s co-host, Charlie Hulme, also agreed to it. He said, “If you constantly refreshed the product with different combinations of men’s and women’s players, you’d create something fans would genuinely want to watch every week. Imagine seeing someone like Charley Hull interacting and competing alongside Tiger Woods. That’s compelling television.”

These remarks were a direct response to Korda’s views on WTGL. She wanted more women to speak up about the possibility of competing alongside men because, in her opinion, it would be a great way to “grow the game.”

“It would have been the first time, I think, that men and women are on the same playing field, playing for the same exact amount of money. But I also think it’s great that we are getting this opportunity, so that’s my mixed feelings,” Korda said in January.

Well, the blueprint already exists. First held in 2023, the Grant Thornton Invitational is a co-sanctioned PGA Tour and LPGA Tour event that pairs 16 PGA Tour players with 16 LPGA Tour players in two-player teams competing for equal prize money. Lydia Ko and Jason Day won it together. Tony Finau was paired alongside Korda herself. Three editions in, the event has quietly built the blueprint for exactly the kind of integrated format she is calling for in TGL.

Alexis Ohanian, co-owner of TGL’s Los Angeles Golf Club, agrees with Korda’s thought. He told Front Office Sports, “I think Nelly’s got a great point here. Golf is one of the few sports where you could genuinely have men and women playing together in a really compelling way.”

The WTGL’s inaugural roster so far looks amazing. It has major winners Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, Minjee Lee, Celine Boutier, and Danielle Kang. Well, the list does not stop there. The roster also has Jeeno Thitikul, Charley Hull, Rose Zhang, Lexi Thompson, Lottie Woad, and many more.

Kaufman, who had been vocal in support of Korda’s stance, also congratulated her on the U.S. Women’s Open win.

He wrote on X, “How in the world did that end up at the bottom! Wowwww, what a finish to the USGA Women’s Open. Riv delivered all week and gave us so many great storylines from start to finish. Congrats to Nelly Korda on an incredible victory!”

There’s no denying, in fact, that Nelly Korda is one of the most dominant players on the tour right now, and having her on the roster will be a great advantage. But the point is, will she agree to it? But while Korda stays away, the WTGL’s investor roster keeps growing.

WTGL’s star power extends far beyond the fairways

Trybe Ventures, co-founded by Alex Morgan, brought in a fresh batch of investors on June 2. Tennis world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, 2x Olympic hockey gold medalist Hilary Knight, and five WNBA stars, Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Nneka Ogwumike, and Gabriela Jaquez, have all put their money in. Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach were already part of the group.

Morgan said in the official statement: “We continue to see incredible enthusiasm around WTGL and a growing belief in the opportunity to build something truly impactful around women’s golf.” When tennis, hockey, and basketball players invest in a golf league, the women’s sports world takes notice.

Haley Rosen, who runs Just Women’s Sports, also joined through Trybe Ventures. Sports investors Linnea Roberts and Susan Lyne are in too. The business side of this league is starting to look just as serious as the playing roster.

Then there is Michelle Wie West. She is set to play in the WTGL and already co-owns TGL’s Los Angeles Golf Club. The league that Nelly Korda has been openly critical of keeps pulling in bigger and bigger names, with or without her.