William Byron, who has racked up 14 victories in NASCAR’s top-tier series, appears to carry just as much enthusiasm for golf as he does for racing. And it’s not merely a passing interest. As revealed during his recent conversation with Front Office Sports at Masters Week, the Hendrick Motorsports driver seems to have one eye on the fairway and the other on potential ownership, hinting at the possibility of investing in a team or league.
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His affinity for the sport has been on full display lately. Not only did he attend this year’s Masters Week, but he also joined the roster of attendees at a TGL match between Boston Common and Los Angeles Golf Club at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida in February. However, this wasn’t Byron’s first brush with the golfing elite — he was spotted at Masters Week last year as well.
While the professionals competed for the coveted green jacket, Byron — who was on site Thursday — fielded a few questions from FOS. When asked about the TGL event, he shared that the experience was both fun and one-of-a-kind. The #24 driver remarked on the creative setup, describing how the players transitioned from shots off rolled-in grass to hitting into a simulator.
Since Byron also first started his motorsports career through sim racing, the virtual aspect of golf resonated with him more. He acknowledged that while the experience might differ for the pros swinging the clubs, as a spectator, he found it thoroughly entertaining and appreciated the tech-savvy change in the sport.
When the conversation turned to potential investment opportunities in TGL — owned by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Mike McCarley — or teams, Byron didn’t beat around the bush.
Expressing genuine interest, he remarked, “Maybe, yeah. I’d love to see it more often. Maybe they can travel with it, bring it to different cities. To bring that to Charlotte, I think people would love to see pro golfers—household names—in person in a setting like that.”
Meanwhile, Byron isn’t just a casual observer either — he hits the greens regularly. Joining a long list of NASCAR drivers such as Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, and Bubba Wallace who have embraced the game, Byron has developed a strong passion for playing golf himself. “I play it pretty often. I try to play weekly,” he shared.
He did, however, admit that during a 3-4 months stretch last season, racing commitments kept him off the course more than he would have liked.
Still, Byron makes it a point to stay in the swing of things, often heading to the range a couple of times a week whenever his schedule allows. The #24 Hendrick Motorsports driver revealed that he has taken golf seriously since the age of 18, and over the years, his appreciation for the sport has only grown deeper.
What impresses him most about golfers is their unmatched focus — the ability to shut out even the faintest distractions. Whether it’s a murmur from the gallery or a bird chirping in the distance, professionals stay locked in and move with precision.
Byron noted that such mental discipline mirrors the demands of racing, drawing a strong parallel between the two arenas. “I think rhythm is always important. Whether you’re racing or golfing, having that rhythm, being able to put shots together,” he explained.
Perhaps during the off-season, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to imagine NASCAR drivers teeing it up together, giving fans a refreshing peek of their favorite wheelmen in an entirely different light.
