Now sponsored by American luxury resort Black Desert and hosted by the ever-impressive Tom McKibbin — who will compete in the Pro-Am but not in the tournament itself — the tournament may be played on the Challenge Tour instead of the DP World Tour this year but that does not make for a lack of excitement. Eight of the top 10 in the Road to Mallorca rankings will be in action, including leader Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, with the Dane one of three players who could earn automatic promotion to the DP World Tour if he wins at Galgorm. Along with Neergaard-Petersen, Spain’s Joel Moscatel and England’s John Parry also have two wins already this year and a third would immediately send them up a tier, meaning Northern Ireland could be about to witness the birth of a new golfing star.
But from a local perspective, there will also be key interest in how Ballymena’s own Dermot McElroy gets on, along with Clandeboye’s Jonathan Caldwell. Both need to pick up the pace if they, too, are going to earn promotion to the DP World Tour next year, Caldwell currently 84th in the Road to Mallorca while McElroy is 121st, but a big week in front of home support could spur them on for the second half of the season. Simon Thornton, head pro at Spa Golf Club, will also be in the field after earning a spot thanks to his victory at the PGA Play-Offs earlier in the year and he will be keen to cause a splash like he did when winning the NI Masters at Clandeboye in 2021.
McElroy could improve his.