World Number 12 Leona Maguire and local favourite Stephanie Meadow are relishing the opportunity to return to the island of Ireland for the ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics.
The duo will form part of the main attractions within the women’s field at the innovative event, which sees men and women play on the same courses, at the same time, while being co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, LPGA and the Ladies European Tour.
Maguire, who won her second LPGA Tour title last month at the Meijer LPGA Classic, is excited to tee it up in front of her home fans for the first time since last year’s KPMG Women’s Irish Open and the 2022 World Invitational.
“I loved playing in this event last year and I can’t wait to return to Galgorm again, as well as Castlerock,” said Maguire.
“It’s been a dream couple of years for me, winning on the LPGA again last month and breaking into the top ten in the world has been incredible. Despite playing away from home the majority of the time, I always feel the support from the Irish fans and I’m really looking forward to playing in front of them again.”
Galgorm will again return as host venue, but will this year be joined by the stunning Castlerock Golf Club as every facet of the players’ games are to be tested with the challenge of parkland and links golf.
Meadow, who won the inaugural edition of this event in 2019 when it was sanctioned by the European Challenge Tour, emphatically secured the largest prize of her career by finishing in a tie for third at last month’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and is looking forward to returning home.
“Northern Ireland holds a very special place in my heart and I always enjoy going back to the place which will always be home,” Meadow said, who is Galgorm’s Touring Professional.
“I feel so proud to be a Galgorm ambassador and this was one of the first tournaments I earmarked to play on the schedule. It’s going to be a really special week catching up with family and friends and I know people from all over Ireland are going to come out and watch.”
Each player will play one round at each venue over the first two days, before all the action takes place at Galgorm once the cut falls after 36 holes. Additionally, the G4D Tour @ ISPS HANDA World Invitational will take place during the tournament week, pitting together the best players from the Word Ranking for Golfers with Disability.
In 2022, Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson picked up his second DP World Tour title in wire-to-wire fashion, while Sweden’s Maja Stark fired a stunning closing round of 63 to win the women’s competition by five strokes as she continued her magnificent ascent up the women’s ranks.
