The week kicks off on Wednesday with the Celebrity Pro-Am, featuring The Galgorm Legends Cup where a selection of Northern Ireland football Legends will take on a team of celebrity Legends for the all-important bragging rights and the chance to lift the Galgorm Legends Cup.
This curtain-raiser to tournament week will feature household names such as Steven Davis, Stuart Dallas, Aaron Hughes and others that will take on the likes of actor Jimmy Nesbitt, racing legend AP McCoy, and former rugby stars such as Kenny Logan and Ian Humphreys among others. The tournament proper begins on Friday, with tickets for all three days still available.
In addition to Northern Ireland’s very own Damian Mooney, the island of Ireland will also be represented by Gary Murphy, who is relishing a belated debut north of the border. “I’m really excited,” says Murphy, who is still chasing a maiden win on the Legends Tour. “I think this is my first time playing a professional tournament in Northern Ireland, which is pretty cool. All the Irish Opens I played were always down South. I did win the Irish Amateur in Northern Ireland at Portstewart though, so I’m kind of one-for-one up here – which is a nice stat! Hopefully I can double my strike rate this week.”
And while he might not have played Galgorm yet, Murphy does have plenty of course knowledge, having commentated on the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational at Galgorm. “I’m hoping it’s as easy with the clubs as it was with the microphone, that’s my wish for the week! It’s a great golf course, I was actually surprised at just how good it was. I remember that the turf was sensational. It was set up perfectly, and with the great summer we’ve had, I expect it’ll play fast again like it did then. The resort has had big investment, the hotel is outstanding, so I think we’re in for a fantastic week.
“Commentating gives a very different perspective. You become familiar with the course’s nuances and you’re essentially playing the course without fear, because you’re focused on explaining what players should do and how. That insight can help free you up when you’re actually playing. You also see a lot of shots on every hole—where not to hit it, the bad misses, how the greens funnel—it all adds up. Galgorm has a lot of that. The nines are quite different, and it’s very challenging off the tee. If you can be aggressive and drive it well, you can gain a big advantage. But even though driving is key, it’s a second-shot golf course too. The targets are tough and there’s plenty of danger out there – which you don’t feel with a microphone in hand, but you definitely do with a golf club!”
And with club in hand, Murphy has been on something of a hot streak, having shot an incredible 10-under-par 62 at Doonbeg and followed it up with an equally improbable -9 round at Portmarnock just a few weeks later. “It shows there’s a lot of good stuff in the tank,” says Murphy. “It’s just about relaxing and enjoying the challenge of tournament golf again. It’s tough because I’m working and playing part-time, trying to compete with guys who are full-time. But you’ve got to have hope. I’d love a few more days in the sun, competing with these great players. The standard is ferocious every week, so I’ll need my A-game to contend. I’ve been preparing nicely and my game feels good. It’s just about letting it all out now. If I can hit the ball the way I want and get a bit of luck on the greens, I definitely feel I can be in the mix. It’s just about enjoying it and letting that good golf come out.”
In addition to 2006 captain Ian Woosnam, this week’s field also includes a number of Ryder Cup stars including David Howell, Joakim Haeggman, Phillip Price, Thomas Levet, Jarmo Sandelin, Niclas Fasth, Peter Baker and Junior Ryder Cup captain Stephen Gallacher. A number of Legends Tour winners from 2025 will also be present, including Order of Merit leader Scott Hend, last week’s winner of the Grass & Co. English Legends, Steve Webster, and the South African trio of Keith Horne, James Kingston and Darren Fichardt, fresh from a T13 finish at the British Masters on the DP World Tour last week.
Just 30 minutes from Belfast, Galgorm has previously hosted DP World Tour (2020 Irish Open) and Challenge Tour (now HotelPlanner Tour) events – plus multiple editions of a tri-sanctioned mixed World Invitational for men and women professionals on the DP World Tour, LPGA and Ladies European Tour (2019, 2021-2023).
The NI Legends enjoys key support from Black Desert Resort and Reef Capital who have luxury golf resorts and destinations in the United States including in Utah, where the Black Desert Championship is currently played on both the PGA and LPGA Tours.
Tickets are available online or on the gate, and cost £20. Under 16s go free.
Visit www.legendstour.com to buy.
