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The 2023 ISPS Handa World Invitational is just a day away and will be played at Galgorm and Castlerock in Northern Ireland. The mixed-field event, which will commence on August 17, is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, the LPGA Tour, and the Ladies European Tour.
The four-day event will feature a 288-player field, with 144 men and women each. The field for the exciting tournament will feature the likes of Leona Maguire, Georgia Hall, Victor Perez, and others.
While the women's field has five players from the top 50 Rolex Women's Rankings, the men's field will have World No. 68 Victor Perez as the top-ranked golfer.
What are the five things to know before the 2023 ISPS Handa World Invitational?
Before the tournament commences at Galgorm and Castlerock in Northern Ireland, let's have a look at five amazing facts about the mixed-field event:
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#5 Men's defending champion Ewen Ferguson to play the event
The 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational champion, Ewen Ferguson, is set to return to the tournament in hopes of defending his title. However, the Women's defending champion, Maja Stark, is set to skip the event.
Last year at the event, he secured his second DP World Tour title after defeating Connor Syme and Borja Virto by a margin of three strokes.
#4 This is the fourth edition of the tournament
The ISPS Handa World Invitational was first played in 2019 as separate tournaments for both men and women.
However, after the event was not held in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, the tournament returned in 2021, was elevated to a DP World Tour event, and was co-sanctioned by both the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour.
The 2023 tournament is the fourth edition and will feature a 288-player mixed field.
#3 The tournament will have a $3 million prize pool
In 2022, the ISPS Handa World Invitational had a prize pool hike from $2.35 million to $3 million. In the 2023 edition, the tournament is set to retain the same budget.
Both men's and women's events will have a $1.5 million prize pool, with the winner receiving $250,000.
#2 Both the inaugural champions are present in the 2023 edition's field
When the ISPS Handa World Invitational started in 2019, the men's inaugural champion was Jack Senior and the women's inaugural champion was Stephanie Meadow, and now both of them feature in the 288-player field.
Only two past champions, Pajaree Anannarukarn and Maja Stark, will miss the 223rd edition of the tournament.
#1 European Ryder Cup team hopefuls to have opportunity to showcase their skills
With the 2023 Ryder Cup just a little over a month away, the men's field will have a great chance to showcase their golfing skills for the Luke Donald-led team for the event.
While Robert MacIntyre, who stands third in the European team rankings, will look to make his contention even stronger, World No. 68 Victor Perez will be looking for a top finish to enter the top six (he is currently ranked seventh).
