The DP World Tour’s UK Swing concludes this week with a visit to Northern Ireland as the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by Aviv Clinics takes place at Galgorm Castle and Massereene.
Daniel Gavins will be looking to rediscover his form as he defends his title while a few Galgorm Castle specialists will look to get in the mix.
If you have not done so already, you can sign up now to the official Fantasy Game of the DP World Tour and submit your six-man team before round one on Thursday: https://fantasy.dpworldtour.com.
Favourite - John Catlin
It has not been plain-sailing for the American in 2022, however he returns to an island and a golf course where he has enjoyed success before. Catlin burst onto the scene in September 2020, claiming two wins in three events, including the Irish Open at Galgorm Castle. Another win followed in Austria in 2021 and while he has claimed just four tops tens since, one of those was again at Galgorm Castle in this event last season. The 31-year-old continued his love affair with the island of Ireland as he finished fifth at the Horizon Irish Open earlier this year and that just hands him the favourite's tag over.........
Form horse - Jordan Smith
A regular in these features over recent months, Smith arrives in County Antrim sitting in 12th position on the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex and has missed just two cuts in 16 starts this season. The Englishman has recorded two runner-up finishes and three top tens in 2022, including a tie for ninth at the Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic at the start of the year. Smith finished in third-place at the 2021 ISPS Handa World Invitational and he is looking for another strong performance this time around.
Wild card - Tom McKibbin
An in-form player is a dangerous player, as is a player with local knowledge, in McKibbin we have both. The 19-year-old has been in sensational form on the European Challenge Tour, currently sitting in 16th position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings and he finished in second place at the recent Irish Challenge. The Northern Irishman will know this week’s venue better than anyone in the field as he is the Touring Professional for Galgorm Castle. McKibbin impressed in this event last season as he finished in a tie for 26th and he will be hoping that a combination of course knowledge and good form can lead to a maiden DP World Tour title this week.
