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In Northern Ireland from 29 July to 1 August - on the same days as the Tokyo Games the men's individual golf competition will be staged - the ISPS HANDA World Invitational will be played, an innovative tournament organized by European Tour, LPGA and Ladies European Tour.
In County Antrim 288 competitors will compete: 144 men on one side, 144 women on the other.
ISPS HANDA World Invitational, schedule
The parallel competition will take place on the two courses of the Galgorm Castle Golf Club and the Massereene Golf Club.
Italy will be represented by Francesco Laporta and Aron Zemmer. Two cuts are planned: one after 36 holes, the other after 54. On Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st, the second consecutive EDGA (European Disabled Golf Association) event will be held at Massereene and Galgolrm Castle, which will also see the blue Tommaso Perrino in the race.
And again: Amy Bockerstett, the first golfer with Down syndrome to have played a university championship in the USA this year. Amy Bockerstette became a viral sensation when she made a par on the famous 16th hole on the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale on the PGA Tour a couple of years ago, and this week she’ll be making her way to Northern Ireland to get the tournament under way.
Bockerstette, who made history when she became the first golfer with Down syndrome to play in a college championship in the United States, made headlines once again when she received a phonecall from tournament host Brendan Lawlor.
Lawlor surprised her by bringing her favourite singer Niall Horan (founder of Modest! Golf) in to the virtual call, who then told a surprised Amy that he wanted her to come to Ireland. He said: “Modest! Golf, and ISPS HANDA have a tournament in Ireland called the ISPS HANDA World Invitational, and it’s full of your favourite LPGA – so all of your favourite LPGA stars are going to be there, European Tour players, Brendan’s playing, and guess what? I would like, and ISPS HANDA would like, to bring you, your mum and your dad to pay for your flights and come over to the tournament.
And another one, because you are such an inspiration, we really want you, because you embody everything that ISPS HANDA embody in breaking down barriers in the game, we want you to hit the opening tee shot to kick the tournament off for the week”.
