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via Imago

via Imago

With mixed-team golf returning after a gap of 24 years, the excitement has been steadily building. The inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational 2023 will be played in Florida from December 8 to 10, and already House tickets are sold out.

The golf event that is jointly organized by the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour will see 16 mixed teams participating for a winning purse of $4 million. It will be played at Tiburon Golf Club that has two 18-hole courses – The Gold and The Black. Fans are eagerly waiting for the tournament.

Grant Thornton Invitational Houses sold out

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Tickets are available on etix.com, but the Michelob Ultra Brew House tickets – priced at $115 per day – are sold out for all three days. Grounds tickets are available for $45 per day and $110 per ticket for all three days. For the Garrison Brothers Distillery Bunker, tickets are still available for $350 per day.

Benefits for the House tickets include complimentary food and drinks, elevated vantage points and closed-circuit television. The Bunker benefits have breakfast, lunch, snacks and a full open bar. Besides, it will provide private restroom facilities, CCTV feed and one VIP parking pass.

There will be a live fest also; an evening of music will follow a day of golf. Tickets can be bought for $175 in the general category and $450 in the premium category.

The tournament will have a stellar player field. Justin Rose has partnered with Charley Hull, while the other top attractions will be Billy Horschel-Andrea Lee, Rickie Fowler-Lexi Thompson, Tony Finau-Nelly Korda, Joel Dahmen-Lilia Vu, Harris English-Celine Boutier and Ludvig Aberg-Madelene Sagstrom. The pairs will play foursomes, modified four-ball and a scramble to determine the champions. For the first time since 1999, the circuits will have a mixed-team event.

Read more: Grant Thornton Invitational: Your Guide to the Unique Format of the Highly Anticipated PGA Tour X LPGA Crossover

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The JCPenney Classic tournament was the last of its kind. The history of mixed team events actually dates back to the 1960s, before it came to a halt at the turn of the century. Its reintroduction has been welcomed by the golfers.

‘A long time coming’

Back in March, after the Grant Thornton schedule was announced, Cole Hammer had thrown his weight behind the event, saying: “I think this has been a long time coming.” Hammer had earlier played in mixed-team events like the Palmer Cup.

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Mixed-sex sport isn’t something new. Sports such as lawn tennis, table tennis, badminton and bowling have embraced it a long time ago. It has come to athletics as well. In golf also, it used to be a part of the circuit. In fact, in many American universities, the men’s and women’s golf teams train alongside each other. Grant Thornton is reviving an old tradition.

Watch this story: The $4M ‘Ultimate Test of Teamwork’ Between the PGA Tour and LPGA Will Have One Insane Round That Crowns the Champions