Nelly Korda didn’t hold back.
The world No. 2 was asked about joining WTGL, the tech-infused women’s golf league that mimics TGL and is set to debut next winter. However, as she weighs her decision, she feels the league has missed a big opportunity to grow women’s golf.
“I have mixed feelings on it if I’m being very honest,” Korda told Golfweek ahead of the LPGA’s season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, “and 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. There’s no greater way to grow the game, and 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. But I also think it's great that we are getting this opportunity, so that’s my mixed feelings.”
Some of WTGL’s early commitments are world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, Charley Hull of England, Lydia Ko of New Zealand, Brooke Henderson, Lexi Thompson, Rose Zhang and Lottie Woad.
TGL, founded by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and former NBC Sports executive Mike McCarley, is in its second season and has yielded a steady audience on ESPN and ABC.
WTGL, like TGL, will be played at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., a few hours from Korda’s home. But she’s undecided if she’ll join the league.
“I’m just still weighing out the time commitment,” Korda said. “I just haven't really thought about it too much, because I've been really focused on trying to get ready for this season. I think logistically, they're still trying to figure some stuff out, so I will just weigh out my options in the near future.”
Despite the sour taste in her mouth about not playing alongside the men, though, Korda still believes WTGL will add exposure to the LPGA.
“I don't think that 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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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Nelly Korda Feels Women’s TGL Indoor League Is an ‘Unbelievable Miss’.
