Florida Set to Host Star-Studded Grant Thornton Invitational
Get ready, golf fans! Florida is rolling out the green carpet this Friday as it welcomes the highly anticipated 2024 Grant Thornton Invitational at the gorgeous Tiburon Golf Club. With the first round kicking off bright and early at 9 a.m. ET, the excitement is palpable as stars from the LPGA and PGA Tours gear up for a thrilling team tournament!
A Unique Format
This event is not your typical golf tournament. For the second straight year, the Grant Thornton Invitational brings together 16 dynamic duos, with each team featuring one LPGA pro and one PGA Tour player. It’s all about teamwork out there on the course, and they’ll be fighting not just for bragging rights, but also for a chance to snag a share of the colossal $1 million winner’s prize.
Returning Champions and Power Teams
Among the most talked-about teams this year is the dynamic duo of Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler. These two elite golfers are back in action, hoping to improve upon their performance from last year. Let’s not forget the deep competition they’ll face, especially from defending champions Lydia Ko and Jason Day, who are looking to retain their title.
Friday’s round will utilize a traditional scramble format, which means both team members will take their best shot and then play from the location of the best ball. This format tends to heighten the excitement, as every swing counts!
Critical Tee Times
Team Thompson-Fowler is set to tee off in the penultimate pairing at 10:30 a.m. ET alongside Allisen Corpuz and Sahith Theegala. For those who want to keep track of the action, the first round will be available for viewing on the Golf Channel starting at 1 p.m. ET, with a live simulcast also accessible via an affiliated streaming service for those with an active cable subscription.
Check out the complete tee times for the first round:
- 9:00 a.m. – Mel Reid/Cameron Champ; Maja Stark/J.T. Poston
- 9:15 a.m. – Jennifer Kupcho/Akshay Bhatia; Celine Boutier/Matthieu Pavon
- 9:30 a.m. – Lauren Coughlin/Cameron Young; Megan Khang/Matt Kuchar
- 9:45 a.m. – Andrea Lee/Max Greyserman; Gabi Ruffels/Nick Dunlap
- 10:00 a.m. – Patty Tavatanakit/Jake Knapp; Lilia Vu/Luke List
- 10:15 a.m. – Jeeno Thitikul/Tom Kim; Brooke Henderson/Corey Conners
- 10:30 a.m. – Allisen Corpuz/Sahith Theegala; Lexi Thompson/Rickie Fowler
- 10:45 a.m. – Nelly Korda/Daniel Berger; Lydia Ko/Jason Day
What’s on the Line?
With incredible talent on display and a hefty prize purse at stake, there’s no shortage of drama and competition this weekend. Fans are in for a treat as they watch these remarkable athletes work together to score low and contribute to their team’s success. Expect high-energy moments and perhaps a few surprises along the way!
So, if you are anywhere near Florida or just an avid golf enthusiast, make sure to tune in as this weekend promises to be a blockbuster affair with some of the biggest names in golf taking the stage. The excitement is building, and the greens are calling!
