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The PGA Tour and LPGA have announced a new mixed-team golf event which will feature 16 players from each circuit competing for a US$4 million prize fund.
The Grant Thornton Invitational will take place from 8th to 10th December at Tiburon Golf Club and the Ritz-Carlton Naples in Florida, with NBC and the Golf Channel set to broadcast the event in the US. The new team competition’s title partner Grant Thornton also has deals with players across both tours, including Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler and the Korda sisters.
It will be the first time the tours have held an annual mixed-team competition since 1999, when John Daly and Dame Laura Davies won the final edition of the JCPenney Classic.
LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said: “We could not be more excited to add the Grant Thornton Invitational to our 2023 schedule.
“By joining forces with the PGA Tour to host a mixed event where the top male and female golfers in the world compete alongside each other, we’re going to deliver a memorable and entertaining experience for all golf fans, showcasing our players’ incredible skills in a new context to a new audience.
“This is an important step forward for golf, women’s golf and the LPGA.”
PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, added: “As we look to capitalise on the growing interest in the game of golf, the addition of a mixed event to the calendar has been a priority, and we greatly appreciate title sponsor Grant Thornton for their support in delivering an event that will make our sport more appealing and welcoming to all.”
