As the WTGL continues to announce star power for its upcoming debut, one notable name remains absent: Nelly Korda.
The two-time major champion and Olympic gold medalist addressed the women’s offshoot of TGL on Tuesday while practicing at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club ahead of the LPGA season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. Her assessment was candid — and conflicted.
“I have mixed feelings on it, if I’m being very honest,” Korda told Golfweek. “I’m surprised no other girls have, or no one’s really spoken out about it. I think it’s a huge and unbelievable miss that we’re not playing alongside the men.”
Korda said the opportunity for men and women to compete together — and for equal prize money — could have been transformative for the sport.
“There’s no greater way to grow the game,” she said. “It would have been revolutionary. 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.”
Still, Korda emphasized that her comments were not meant as a critique of the league itself, which is set to launch in the winter of 2026–27.
“I also think it’s great that we are getting this opportunity,” she said. “So that’s my mixed feelings.”
The WTGL’s initial group of committed players includes several of the LPGA’s biggest names, including world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, Hall of Famer Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, Lexi Thompson and Charley Hull. On Tuesday, the league added Rose Zhang and Lottie Woad to its growing roster. The indoor team competition will be played at the custom-built SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Korda said she has not ruled out participating but remains undecided.
“I’m still weighing out the time commitment,” she said. “I just haven’t really thought about it too much because I’ve been really focused on getting ready for this season. Logistically, they’re still trying to figure some stuff out, so I’ll weigh my options in the near future.”
Like many fans and players, Korda initially envisioned a more integrated format — perhaps with one woman added to each TGL team.
TGL, founded by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and former NBC Sports executive Mike McCarley under the TMRW Sports umbrella, is currently in its second season. The six-team men’s indoor league launched Dec. 28 and runs through March, airing on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.
When the WTGL was first announced, McCarley acknowledged the possibility of a shared stage down the line.
“I think that is something that’s interesting to us and is interesting to the LPGA and is interesting to a lot of the players we’re talking to,” McCarley previously told Golfweek. “But right now, we’re really focused on building this out and providing a nice stage and platform to showcase the players and their personalities.”
For Korda, the opportunity remains significant — just not as groundbreaking as it could have been.
“I don’t think there’s a downside,” she said. “I just think that it would have been even greater to have both of them together.”
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