Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler will join forces to play together on the course this year at the Grant Thornton Invitational. The PGA Tour and LPGA Tour in partnership have announced the new mixed team event.
The event will make its debut from December 8-10 at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples as a part of the Challenge season. It is all set to be the first mixed event that is co-sanctioned by both tours since the 1999 JCPenney Classic. The field will be composed of 32 players, 16 female and 16 male golfers.
Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler are the latest pair to be announced for the tournament. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is highly optimistic about the event, and it has also received a positive review.
Jay Monahan said in a press release:
"As we look to capitalize 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."
Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler are among the several pairs announced for the 2023 Grant Thornton Invitational
Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler are just one of the few pairs that have been announced for the 2023 Grant Thornton Invitational.
Tony Finau and Nelly Korda, Corey Conners and Brooke Henderson, Sahith Theegala and Rose Zhang are among the other pairs that will play at the Grant Thornton Invitational.
The event is one that is looked forward to and might be the new format that golf fans all over the world might enjoy. According to Golf Week, Tony Finau said:
"PGA Tour athletes playing alongside the best athletes from the LPGA Tour is going to be incredible for our fans. They’ve been wanting something like this for a long time. Our fans deserve it, and seeing Grant Thornton stepping up to help the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour put together this tournament, I think is very special."
The tournament will be held over three rounds- the Scramble format, the foursomes format and the modified fourball format.