Big Names Headline a Loaded Grant Thornton Invitational Field

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Teammates Chris Gotterup of the United States and Jennifer Kupcho of the United States walk off the third hole green during the first round of the Grant Thornton Invitational 2025 at Tiburon Golf Club on December 12, 2025 in Naples, Florida.

Last year at the Grant Thornton Invitational, Andrew Novak and Lauren Coughlin teamed up to capture the $1,000,000 first-place prize. Now, this December they’ll return to Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida, looking to defend their title against 15 other mixed teams. The three round tournament will take place December 11-13, and will bring together some of the best players from the PGA and the LPGA tours to team up and face-off.

Novak and Coughlin made history last year, setting a tournament scoring record with an impressive 28-under par performance. Their dominant game kept fans watching all the way through the final round, and eventually earned them the championship and their $1 million prize.

Grant Thorton Invitational Format

The Grant Thornton Invitational features 32 players divided into 16 mixed teams of two. Each team consists of one LPGA Tour player and one PGA Tour player, and together they compete in three different formats: scramble, foursome, and modified four-ball.

Of these three formats, modified four-ball is one of the more unique ways to play. Both players hit their tee shots, and then switch balls on the second shot. From that point forward, each player continues playing their teammate’s ball until the hole is complete by both players. The lower score of the two is recorded before moving on to the next hole.

A scramble is more standard for team events. Each player hits their tee shot and together they decide which one was better. They then both hit from the better ball and continue this way until they finish the hole, taking the best shot each time.

A foursome is also known as alternate shot. During this round, only one ball is used and each player alternates hitting shots until the ball is holed. One player tees off on the odd-numbered holes, and one on even-numbered holes.

Mixed Team Events

First played in 2023, the Grant Thornton Invitational marked the return of a co-sanctioned mixed-team event between the LPGA and the PGA tours after 24-years without. As they get ready for their fourth year of play, the tournament has seen tremendous growth, highlighting how important it is to both men’s and women’s sports, and that mixed team events only help grow the game of golf.

“This has been a transformative year for our firm, and the Invitational embodies that same sense of momentum, bringing together exceptional talent to raise the bar for what’s possible,” said Jim Peko, CEO of Grant Thornton Advisors LLC in a press release. “The collaboration at the heart of the tournament is also central to how we are growing our business, uniting people with diverse experiences, perspectives and capabilities to deliver stronger outcomes. I wish all the players the very best and thank them for exemplifying the power of successful teamwork.”

Mixed-team tournaments used to be a regular part of the fall golf calendar, and hopefully the continued success surrounding the Grant Thornton Invitational offers some hope that more events like it can return. With fewer tournaments during the colder months, these tournaments could give fans something different to enjoy and keep eyes on golf all year long.