NORTH NAPLES, Fla. — For the past two decades, the QBE Shootout has taken place each December at Tiburon Golf Club in North Naples. However, this year, there’s a new tournament in town. For the first time since the turn of the century, the PGA and LPGA have teamed up to create the Grant Thornton Invitational.
“I’ve been involved with these professional events since 2004 in this market, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” tournament director Rob Hartman said.
The inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational is being held in Naples this weekend. It’s a mixed-team event, meaning men and women are playing together. This is the first time since 1999 that the PGA and LPGA have connected for a tournament like this.
“I think this is what golf needs – more team events, especially mixed men’s and women’s,” LPGA player Lexi Thompson said.
Thirty-two of the world’s best male and female golfers are taking the course at the same time. They are coming together to create 16 pairs who are battling it out for a piece of a $4 million purse.
“Something the golf world has wanted for a really long time, and after 30 years, we’re excited to bring it back,” Hartman said.
The event isn’t a traditional tournament. Each day is being played in a different format. Friday was a scramble, Saturday will be alternate shot, and then Sunday is a modified four-ball.
“Just do something a little unique and never been done before,” Hartman said, referring to why they chose the different format. “We think we’ve achieved that here.”
The tournament features some big names like Rickie Fowler, Tony Finau and Nelly Korda. The talented field has brought golf fans from all over the country and world to Southwest Florida.
“We enjoy the atmosphere here,” said Christopher Olson, who came all the way from Wisconsin. “It’s a great place to see the players up and close. They’re really personable.”
This is just the first year of the tournament, but organizers and players alike are already expecting big things in the future.
“It’s going to be, for us, really exciting to see how this event does grow every year,” Korda said. “It does bring something new and exciting to the game.”
Tickets are still available.