Rory McIlroy has dismissed suggestions that the TGL indoor golf league is responsible for a spate of injuries on the PGA Tour, following setbacks for Collin Morikawa and himself.
McIlroy, who co-founded TGL alongside Tiger Woods, withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational before the third round due to injury, but made a late decision to compete in the Players Championship. Morikawa managed only one hole at TPC Sawgrass before withdrawing after tweaking his back during a practice swing.
Speaking to the Palm Beach Post, McIlroy said: "It's a little more travel for the guys, a little more. To put it solely on that is preposterous. No." He added: "My ball speed on Tour is way faster than it is in TGL."
Billy Horschel also defended TGL on social media, saying: "Please stop! TGL had nothing to do with my injury." When asked if extra travel and swings could play a role, Horschel replied: "No I don't. Extra swings. Not a chance. We make maybe 10-12 swings in a match."
Sahith Theegala, who struggled with an oblique strain in 2025, attributed his injury to TGL excitement. He told PGATour.com: "I had a TGL match right before Bay Hill, and you just get so amped up in those TGL matches... I hit a couple of drives like 183 mph ball speed. It's something I never hit in a tournament, and one of the last drives I felt a little pop in my oblique."
