The second enjoying of the Granton Thornton Invitational kicks off this week in Naples, Florida, the place loads of PGA Tour and LPGA stars will group up and vie for a $1 million prize.
Fifteen of the 16 girls enjoying this week performed on this yr’s Solheim Cup in Virginia, as Mel Reid, who served as a tv analyst that week, is the outlier.
However one fan favourite on the boys’s facet should miss out. Tony Finau withdrew, citing his ongoing restoration from an October knee surgical procedure, which implies his accomplice, Nelly Korda, will now play with Daniel Berger.
That ought to not diminish the enjoyable of this match. Gamers, followers, and the media counseled the PGA Tour and LPGA for organizing this occasion a yr in the past, one stuffed with stars, leisure, and drama. Officers have been so happy with their maiden occasion that they didn’t make any important adjustments to this yr’s version in addition to constructing a construction across the first tee. Followers needed to see the celebs tee off, just like the sturdy grandstands that encompass the opening tee on the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, and Solheim Cup. Officers estimate that this new construction has about 300 tip-top seats, a a lot smaller construct than what’s seen on the aforementioned competitions. However for the reason that first tee had so many followers final yr, officers had no alternative however to do one thing. They left room for others to observe whereas standing too.
The format itself additionally acquired essential acclaim, leaving officers no alternative however to put it to use once more this yr. Day One will characteristic a two-person scramble. Day Two will probably be an alternate shot, as within the Ryder Cup. The Closing Spherical is a modified four-ball: Each gamers hit their tee pictures, after which they change golf balls for his or her strategy till their ball is holed. The decrease rating of the companions is then counted because the group rating for the opening.
Jason Day and Lydia Ko gained final yr, and this Australian-New Zealand duo is again to defend their title. Different notable pairings embody Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler, in addition to Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners, a pair of Canadians.
All 16 groups are listed beneath, with every participant’s rankings included and one tidbit about every group:
1. Lydia Ko and Jason Day
World Golf Rankings: Ko (3), Day (34)
The all-Australiasian duo gained final yr, to allow them to undoubtedly do it once more in 2024. Ko has had a terrific season, highlighted by her win at St. Andrews. Day, in the meantime, completed thirty third within the FedEx Cup rankings, however his new cope with Malbon Golf drew extra consideration to him than his play this yr.
2. Nelly Korda and Daniel Berger
World Golf Rankings: Korda (1), Berger (133)
Nelly Korda gained seven occasions throughout her historic 2024 season, 5 of them coming in a row. She has the very best swing in all of golf—you’ll be able to study loads simply from watching her tempo. Berger, in the meantime, completed the 2020 season ranked thirteenth on the planet. He then made the 2021 Ryder Cup group, posting a 2-1-0 report to assist the People steamroll the Europeans at Whistling Straits. His rating then plummeted within the subsequent years attributable to a again harm he suffered after lacking the reduce on the 2022 U.S. Open. Berger went on to overlook 18 months, returning to the PGA Tour in January 2024. His most up-to-date begin got here on the RSM Traditional, the place he posted a T-2—his finest end since profitable the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am in 2021.
3. Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler
World Golf Rankings: Thompson (51), Fowler (73)
This might be Lexi Thompson’s swansong, as she introduced her retirement from enjoying full-time earlier this yr on the U.S. Girls’s Open in Lancaster. Fowler not too long ago posted his first high 10 this season in Japan, thus holding a 16-year streak intact.
4. Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners
World Golf Rankings: Henderson (25), Conners (41)
Oh, Canada! My residence and homeland… Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners completed runner-up to Ko and Day a yr in the past, and so they have the expertise to take residence the title this yr. These two Canadians have 13 high 10s mixed in 2024.
5. Lilia Vu and Luke Checklist
World Golf Rankings: Vu (5), Checklist (118)
After teaming up with Joel Dahmen one yr in the past, Lilia Vu has a brand new accomplice in Luke Checklist, who has two profession PGA Tour victories. Vu battled a again harm earlier this yr however gained instantly upon her return in June. She additionally completed T-2 at Sahalee and St. Andrews.
6. Rose Zhang and Sahith Theegala
World Golf Rankings: Zhang (13), Theegala (13)
California… is aware of find out how to celebration… Californians are additionally superb golfers and look no additional than this duo, who tied for ninth final yr. Each Rose Zhang and Sahith Theegala picked up their first profession wins in 2023, and Zhang added a second one earlier this yr.
7. Jeeno Thitikul and Tom Kim
World Golf Rankings: Thitikul (4), Kim (21)
Name this the ‘Group of Youth.’ Jeeno Thitikul, who’s 21 years previous, and Tom Kim, who turned 22 in June, will make their debuts on the Grant Thornton Invitational this yr. Thitikul and Kim have seven mixed profession victories, which incorporates Thitikul’s win on the CME Group Tour Championship final month. She additionally gained the season-long Aon Threat-Reward Problem and the $1 million prize that comes with it.
8. Patty Tavatanakit and Jake Knapp
World Golf Rankings: Tavatanakit (26), Knapp (87)
This all-UCLA group options Patty Tavatanakit and Jake Knapp, who will debut on this occasion this yr. Tavatanakit has two wins—one in every of them a significant—to her title, whereas Knapp’s maiden victory on the PGA Tour got here in Mexico in February.
9. Megan Khang and Matt Kuchar
World Golf Rankings: Khang (21), Kuchar (117)
That is an attention-grabbing pairing, contemplating Matt Kuchar is 20 years older than Megan Khang. Kuchar has one top-10 end and a weird Monday end on the Wyndham Championship this season, whereas Khang posted 5 top-10s.
10. Celine Boutier and Matthieu Pavon
World Golf Rankings: Boutier (8), Pavon (30)
Be careful for this French duo. Celine Boutier is without doubt one of the finest gamers on the planet and eventually gained her first main championship final yr in her residence nation. Matthieu Pavon, in the meantime, has shortly develop into a PGA Tour stalwart, as he kicked off his rookie season with a win at Torrey Pines.
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11. Andrea Lee and Billy Horschel
World Golf Rankings: Lee (53), Horschel (16)
After a disappointing T-14 end final yr, Billy Horschel and Andrea Lee reunite after each gamers had robust seasons. In late February, Horschel virtually fell out of the highest 100 however has since climbed into the highest 20, because of a stable end at The Open and an epic playoff win over Rory McIlroy at Wentworth. In the meantime, Lee tied for third on the U.S. Girls’s Open and has 5 high 10s this yr. They need to fare a lot better this time round.
12. Jennifer Kupcho and Akshay Bhatia
World Golf Rankings: Kupcho (47), Bhatia (29)
One other group that may make its Grant Thornton Invitational debut this yr is Jennifer Kupcho and Akshay Bhatia, who’ve 5 mixed profession wins. Bhatia gained the Valero Texas Open earlier this yr, whereas Kupcho posted six high 10s.
13. Gabriela Ruffels and Nick Dunlap
World Golf Rankings: Ruffels (49), Dunlap (32)
This younger group can even make its first begin this yr. Gabriela Ruffels, 24, has 4 high 10s on the LPGA this season, a formidable accomplishment as a rookie. Nick Dunlap, one other extremely touted rookie, burst into the sporting world’s mainstream by profitable The American Specific in January—the primary novice to win a PGA Tour occasion since Phil Mickelson did so in 1991.
14. Lauren Coughlin and Cameron Younger
World Golf Rankings: Coughlin (15), Younger (38)
One other pair of newbies. Lauren Coughlin has had a stellar season, highlighted by her large play on the Solheim Cup in Virginia. Cameron Younger, in the meantime, continues to seek for his first win. The previous Wake Forest Demon Deacon has six top-10s this season, together with a T-9 at Augusta Nationwide. He additionally led after the primary spherical of the Hero World Problem however then light over the weekend.
15. Mel Reid and Cameron Champ
World Golf Rankings: Reid (404), Champ (403)
Their rankings actually soar off the web page, however Mel Reid and Cameron Champ are Grant Thornton ambassadors, therefore their inclusion within the discipline. These two gamers have 4 mixed victories; something can occur in any given week. Plus, Reid performed on 4 European Solheim Cup groups.
16. Maja Stark and J.T. Poston
World Golf Rankings: Stark (27), Poston (33)
Maja Stark made 15-of-19 cuts this season and has 4 top-10 finishes, together with a solo second to Korda at The Chevron Championship in April. J.T. Poston, in the meantime, simply gained the Shriners Youngsters’s Open, his third profession PGA Tour victory. Poston’s rank of thirty third within the Official World Golf Rankings can be a career-high. This duo will group up collectively for the primary time.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By. Observe him on X @jack_milko.