Northern Ireland will again welcome some of the world's leading golfers, just a month after the successful return of The Open Championship to Royal Portrush, when the ISPS HANDA World Invitational Men | Women, presented by Modest! Golf Management gets under way from August 15-18.
With a new format and additional venue for 2019, the Northern Irish stop on the European Challenge Tour will see a men’s and a women’s field assemble under one banner to compete for two equal prize funds for the first time.
Here’s the lowdown on all you need to know about the innovative tournament:
What is the tournament format?
The ISPS HANDA World Invitational will follow a similar format to that seen at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia earlier this year, with the men and women playing on the same courses at the same time, for equal prize money.
With alternating tee times between the men’s and women’s groups, fans can expect plenty of drama, with the two champions set to be crowned within moments of each other.
Galgorm Castle Golf Club and Massereene Golf Club will share hosting duties across the opening two days, with the competitors completing one round at each of the two layouts.
Following the conclusion of day two, the fields will be whittled down to the top 60 players. There will be an additional cut after day three, with the leading 35 players from each side of the tournament progressing to the final round. All of the weekend’s action will unfold at Galgorm Castle.
Who will be playing?
Calum Hill, who clinched his maiden title at the 2018 Galgorm Resort & Spa Northern Ireland Open, Presented by Modest! Golf is set to defend his crown at what is renowned as one of the best-attended events on the Challenge Tour International Schedule.
While the men’s field will feature the leading Challenge Tour professionals, the women’s event will be composed of notable players from across the women’s game, with 2019 Solheim Cup Captain Catriona Matthew already confirmed for the Northern Irish showpiece. The 2010 Women’s British Open champion is set to tee it up in Northern Ireland just one day after announcing her squad for September’s trans-Atlantic match-up.
Former World Number One amateur Leona Maguire is among a host of Irish players who will compete at the innovative event, with LPGA Tour player Stephanie Meadow also set to tee it up. There will also be several invites extended to elite amateurs in both the men’s and women’s events.
What is the prize fund?
The total prize fund for the ISPS HANDA World Invitational is US$500,000, with the pot equally split between the men’s and women’s fields.
Where will the tournament be staged?
Galgorm Castle Golf Club has been the venue for the Challenge Tour's various visits to Northern Ireland since 2010 and will again assume hosting duties for the new-look event, which features an expanded field of 300 players.
The venue will also be home to the Galgorm Live stage, which will feature live music concerts throughout the week, alongside a host of family activities. The Pro-Am, which is set to include several notable celebrities, including tournament host Niall Horan and Irish actor James Nesbitt, will also take place at the parkland layout, which has produced plenty of drama over the past decade.
Co-host Massereene Golf Club, also located northwest of Belfast, will welcome the Challenge Tour for the first time, with players completing one of their opening two rounds at the parkland venue.
