Defending champion Pajaree Anannarukarn returns to the site of her maiden LPGA victory this week at the ISPS Handa World Invitational, hosted at Galgorm Castle Golf Club and Massereene Golf Club in Northern Ireland. The event, which is tri-sanctioned between the LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and DP World Tour, features an innovative format where women and men compete alongside each other in separate tournaments, but at the same time for the same prize money – each prize purse totals $1.5 million – on the same golf courses.
How to watch the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational
Coverage of the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational from Galgorm Castle Golf Club and Massereene Golf Club in Northern Ireland can be found on Golf Channel, with streaming options available any time on any mobile device and online through NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.
Golf Channel (all times Eastern)
- Thursday, Aug. 11: 8 a.m.-noon
- Friday, Aug. 12: 8 a.m.-noon
- Saturday, Aug. 13: 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 14: 6:30-11:30 a.m.
Streaming (all times Eastern)
- Thursday, Aug. 11: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 12: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 13: 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 14: 6:30-11:30 a.m.
Who’s playing in the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational
Joining the 23-year-old Anannarukarn in the women’s field is Ireland’s Leona Maguire, the 2021 European Solheim Cup star who became the first player from Ireland to win an LPGA event earlier this season at the LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony in February. Also teeing it up is LPGA Hall of Famer Laura Davies, as well as major champion Georgia Hall, who finished T-14 last year at Galgorm Castle.
Other notables in the field include four-time LET winner Maja Stark, who leads the Race to Costa del Sol standings, and fellow Swedish countrywoman Linn Grant, who in June became the first woman to win a DP World Tour event at the co-sanctioned Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed. Sponsor invites include 19-year-old American Lucy Li, already a two-time Epson Tour winner, and Northern Ireland’s own Olivia Mehaffey.
2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational format, schedule of play
This week, 132 women will play alongside 132 men in two separate, 72-hole stroke-play tournaments happening on the same golf courses, at the same time. Competitors will play one round on each of the first two days at Galgorm Castle Golf Club and Massereene Golf Club. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the top-60 players and ties (for both women and men), and a second cut will be made for both women and men after 54 holes to the top 35 and ties. The final two rounds for both women and men will be played at Galgorm Castle.
Last year at the 2021 ISPS Handa World Invitational
Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn captured her first LPGA title last year at the inaugural ISPS Handa World Invitational, beating American Emma Talley in a playoff. A then-22-year-old Anannarukarn carded a 70 in the final round at Galgorm Castle, rebounding from a triple bogey on her sixth hole and finishing regulation at 16-under 275 to force the playoff with Talley. Anannarukarn secured the win with a clutch 9-foot putt for par, while Talley failed to get up and down after missing the green with her approach.
Anannarukarn arrives in Northern Ireland off three consecutive missed cuts, including at the season’s last two majors – last week’s AIG Women’s Open and the Amundi Evian Championship in July. On the season, she’s made 14 cuts in 18 starts with two top-10 finishes (T-4 at JTBC Classic, T-8 at Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions).
More about Galgorm Castle GC
Designed by Simon Gidman and built by David Snoddy, Galgorm Castle Golf Club opened in June 1997 and made its first appearance as tournament host in 2013, as host of the Northern Ireland Open on the European Challenge Tour. The resort also hosted the DP World Tour’s Irish Open in 2020, won by American John Catlin.
Prior to last year’s event, the last time the LPGA competed in Northern Ireland was October 1984 at the Smirnoff Ladies Irish Open at Clandeboye Golf Club, where Kathy Whitworth captured the title along with the winner’s prize of $22,500.
