THE UK SWING JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT BIGGER
The men and ladies are coming back to Northern Ireland this summer
The European Tour, LET and LPGA Tour promised us a new UK event this summer and they’ve delivered by unveiling a mixed tournament in Northern Ireland, backed by pop star Niall Horan and his Modest! Golf Management company.
The ISPS Handa World Invitational will see 144 men and 144 women competing side-by-side on the same courses for a combined prize fund of $2.35 million. The former Challenge Tour event takes place over 72 holes of strokeplay at Galgorm Castle and Massereene from July 28-August 1 – and the best part is that fans should be able to attend.
The only downside is the date, which clashes with the Men’s Olympic Golf Competition and finishes just four days before the WGC-FEDEX St. Jude Invitational in Memphis. However, points will count towards the Race to Dubai and European Ryder Cup Qualification, while the women’s equivalent will count towards the Race to CME Globe on the LPGA Tour and Race to Costa del Sol on the LET. Solheim Cup points will also be available for both teams.
“To have men and women playing for equal prize money of over £2 million – it’s monumental, said Horan. “These girls are as gifted and do not generally get the plaudits they deserve and that is what we are trying to showcase here. This is golf trying to fulfil its potential and hopefully this needle will move, and it will always be on a level playing field.”
The World Invitational is the second dual-event to be added to the European Tour this year, with the inaugural Scandinavian Mixed, co-hosted by Henrik Stenson and Annika Sörenstam, taking place in Sweden in June. It also forms part of a new UK Swing, which features six tournaments in July and August.