Niall Horan's mixed golf event in Northern Ireland elevated to European Tour status

The European Tour, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour will join forces for another innovative mixed tournament this year.

ISPS HANDA Founder and Chairman, Dr Haruhisa Handa with Modest! Golf Management owner and ISPS HANDA Ambassador, Niall Horan.PIcture: Getty Images.

The ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf Management in Northern Ireland will be hosted by Galgorm from 28 July-1 August.

The agreement heralds an exciting new chapter for the event, which has been elevated to European Tour status following a successful inaugural edition on the European Challenge Tour in 2019.

The 2021 event will continue to be played over two courses - Galgorm Castle and Massereene - and will form part of the European Tour’s 2021 UK Swing, taking in tournaments in Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England across July and August.

It will be the first time an event of this format is tri-sanctioned by the European Tour, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour in the northern hemisphere – following in the footsteps of the ISPS HANDA Vic Open in Australia which has the same format.

The ISPS HANDA World Invitational will attract a field of 288 players, 144 men and 144 women. The women’s field will be split equally between the LPGA and the Ladies European Tour.

The $2.35 million purse will be split evenly, with men and women competing for two equal prize funds.

The tournament will count towards the European Tour’s Race to Dubai and carry Team Europe Ryder Cup points, while the women’s tournament will count towards the Race to the CME Globe for women on the LPGA Tour, the Race to Costa del Sol on the Ladies European Tour (LET) and Solheim Cup points for both Team Europe and Team USA.

Niall Horan, the former One Direction singer who is the owner of Modest! Golf Management, said: “This is a key moment for professional golf in this part of the world.

“With the help of ISPS HANDA along with both the LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and European Tour, we have been able to take the ISPS HANDA World Invitational to a new level, which will without doubt reach new audiences around the world.

“The message behind the tournament perfectly aligns with Modest! Golf’s ethos of providing opportunities for all and ensuring golf is a game for everyone."

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