Who Are the Ambassadors of the 2023 Grant Thornton Invitational?

A very rare tournament in the history of golf, the Grant Thornton Invitational is a one-of-a-kind competition that will see 16 male and female golfers teaming up on the greens, playing on the same footing and the golfers will battle it out for the $4 million prize purse.

After months of waiting the tournament will kick off at the Tiburon Golf Club Course. As the three-day event starts on Friday, 8th December, let’s take a quick look at the faces that are representing the event as ambassadors.

Grant Thornton ambassadors are a mix of LPGA and PGA Tour golfers

According to Grant Thornton, the golfers chosen to be ambassadors are not just leaders on the leaderboard, but they are also contributors to the growth of the game by contributing on and off the course. The Invitational has the following ambassadors – Nelly Korda, Tony Finau, Jessica Korda, Rickie Fowler, Mel Reid, Cameron Champ, and Michael Wilbon.

The first players to become the ambassador were Rickie Fowler and Jessica Korda. While Fowler will be teeing it off on Friday, Jessica Korda will be absent from the greens due to her pregnancy. Korda’s vacant position was filled by Lexi Thompson. Despite not participating in the tournament, Korda continues to be one of the ambassadors of the event.

Nelly Korda has been made the youngest ambassador of the event due to her outstanding achievements in the field of golf. Engaged in the sport from an early age, her seven LPGA wins and her gold medal at the 2020 Olympics have vouched for her space at the event.

With 6 wins on the PGA Tour, Tony Finau is another ambassador of the Grant Thornton. His contributions through the Tony Finau Foundation have been recognized by the Invitational as a good deed for the community. Finau says, “We share a vision for bringing more people to the game and are passionate about working to improve the communities that we live in.”

A special ambassador from outside the golf course

Three-time PGA Tour winner Cameron Champ is also one of the faces of the brand-new Grant Thornton. His commitment to giving back to the youth and under-represented communities with the Cameron Champ Foundation is appreciated by the Invitational. LPGA star Mel Reid also plays a big role in promoting the event. The six-time LET winner said, “Greater representation of unique and diverse voices in the largest stages. You have to see someone in order to believe you can be them.” 

Also Read – 2023 Grant Thornton Invitational: First Round Tee Times and Pairings

The last ambassador of the Invitational is Michael Wilbon. A former sportswriter and columnist for the Washington Post, currently Wilbon works as a co-host for ESPN’s Emmy-winning show, Pardon the Interruption, and has been a sports journalist for more than 30 years.

The maiden event will follow the scramble format on the first day. Which partnership do you think will fare the best on the fairways? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch this story: DP Tour World Abruptly Barges Into the LIV Golf vs PGA Tour Drama Through Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm