:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72002030/1458607277.0.jpg "PGA TOUR news: PGA, LPGA announce mixed-field event for December")
The PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour announced a new mixed-field event on Wednesday that will include players from the men's and women's organizations. The new Grant Thornton Invitational will replace the QBE Shootout and will feature 16 teams competing over three days for a $4 million purse. The event will take place at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida in December.
The new invitational will differ from the QBE Shootout in that its field includes an even amount of men and women – 16 of each in male-female pairs. The Shootout featured a few women in the field, but saw a majority of male golfers.
This type of tournament hasn't happened since 1999's JCPenney Classic, which John Daly and Laura Davies won.
In the press release announcing the invitational, LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said:
“By joining forces with the PGA TOUR to host a mixed event where the top male and female golfers in the world compete alongside each other, we're going to deliver a memorable and entertaining experience for all golf fans, showcasing our players' incredible skills in a new context to a new audience.”