Former Ladies European Tour player Liz Mallett brings her competitive experience and keen eye for detail to the Irish Challenge as Tournament Director. Drawing on her experiences, she aims to deliver a world-class event at Killeen Castle while championing a unique community experience.
Growing up, she was an England International, clinching back-to-back English Girls’ titles in 2009 and 2010, followed by the individual championship at the 2012 European Girls’ Team Championship. Her talent earned her a golf scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she competed for four years, earning All-American and All-Conference honours. Following graduating she returned to Europe and pursued playing professionally on the Ladies European Tour.
After playing professionally for three years across Europe, she took up a role with the DP World Tour as Tournament Office Manager. This position provided an excellent platform for the role of Tournament Director, it allowed her to gain a deep understanding of the processes and operations that underpin successful tournaments. Encouraged by her colleagues, she moved into a referee role in 2023, honing her skills in course setup and refereeing.
“It’s been so rewarding to give back to the game I love,” she says, emphasizing her commitment to supporting players and the sport. “Having spent so many years playing competitively, following my playing career it was always an ambition of mine to work within golf and it’s a privilege to now support the players and the sport from inside the ropes.”
Liz Mallett on rules duty on the DP World Tour (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Now, as Tournament Director for the Irish Challenge on the HotelPlanner Tour – the DP World Tour’s official feeder tour – Mallett is venturing into new waters as she’s tasked with overseeing every aspect of the event, from course preparation to ensuring the highest standard of player experience.
“I am really grateful for the opportunity to step into the Tournament Director role. Having had the privilege to work alongside some of the best in the game, I’m excited to apply everything I’ve learned and contribute meaningfully in this important role.”
Her meticulous approach begins up to a year in advance, involving course inspections, selecting tee boxes, and planning hole locations to ensure a fair yet challenging test.
“A lot of detailed preparation work starts up to a year in advance, this includes everything from conducting course inspections, working with the teams on-site, and starting the planning process…. My goal for the Irish Challenge is to deliver a professional, world-class tournament,” she says.
“Whilst my focus is very much inside the ropes, making sure the players have a world-class experience during the tournament week. This commitment is a core value of mine, and I am dedicated to maintaining this standard not only in my current role as tournament director but also in any future tournament leadership positions I undertake.”
She continues: “I am very focused around course set up. With selecting the tee boxes to be used, carefully choosing pin positions, selecting heights of the rough, all of these require meticulous preparation, with contingency plans in place should adverse weather be a feature during the tournament.”
“I want to ensure that the course setup has the correct balance to create a fair but challenging test for the players,” she explains. “You want to ask all of the right questions of the players’ games, while still making sure that it is a fair test.”
The decisions around course setup are the most noticeable factors, but they are just the tip of the iceberg from an organisational point of view.
“There are so many moving parts,” she says. “What happens outside of the ropes is just as important for the player’s experience. You’ve got consider player services, physio access, catering, caddies, volunteers and venue staff, etc. Then there’s a lot of co-ordinating with local stakeholders and other teams to make it as seamless an experience as possible for the players, fans, everybody.”
With Killeen Castle hosting its first men’s professional event, this brings the excitement of a new venue, but the additional challenge of not having a working blueprint from previous tournaments to work from.
But Mallett is excited about the opportunity to showcase this gem to players and spectators alike. “We’re writing a new chapter in Killeen Castle’s history, which is something we’re really proud of and it’s a significant milestone for them and for The HotelPlanner Tour. It’s a fresh chance to do something memorable,” she says.
Mallett is keen to make the Irish Challenge a community affair. A Pro-Am event on Wednesday, August 6, offers amateurs the unique chance to play alongside professionals, a rare opportunity in professional sports.
“The Pro-Am format is so unique to golf which is special” she says. “It provides something that other sports can’t; you can’t just turn up to Wembley and play with the football pros but you can tee it up alongside the future stars of the game in the Pro-Am at Killeen Castle.”
To register for free tickets for the Irish Challenge at Killeen Castle, click here.
Liz during her playing days on the LET (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
Quick-fire with Liz Mallett
Favourite course outside Ireland?
I love the Old Course at St Andrews, but that’s a little cliché. So, I’ll say Long Cove Golf Club on Hilton Head Island. We used to play there every year at College, and I made some really good friends there too.
Favourite course in Ireland?
Obviously, it’s Killeen Castle!!! But Ireland is blessed with so many great courses.
Favourite golfing moment?
I’d have to say Tiger Woods winning the 2019 Masters. He’s the reason why so many of us play, so that was an insane moment.
Who would join you in your dream fourball?
Tiger, for sure, that’s an obvious one. Then Suzanne Pettersen and let’s go with Mark Wahlberg. He seems like a lot of fun and he’s mad into his golf too.
