A quick guide to the World Cup of Golf: Preview, format, field, course, weather, live scores
The World Cup of Golf returns to the PGA Tour schedule this week and is being hosted once again on the sandbelt of Melbourne.
Metropolitan Golf Club has its turn in the spotlight this week as it plays host to The World Cup of Golf, a PGA Tour event featuring players representing 28 countries. Players including Marc Leishman, Matt Kucher, Abraham Ancer, Ian Poulter, Cameron Smith, Martin Kaymer, Thorbjorn Olesen and Thomas Pieters will play four rounds of golf in a special teams format for a $7million prize pool.
LIVE SCORES
It’s an official PGA Tour event, but unlike Tiger Woods’ invitational event next week it has no world ranking points attached to it.
So check out the PGA Tour website for the World Cup of Golf live scores.
THE FORMAT
Rounds 1 and 3 will be Four-ball (Best ball) play, and rounds 2 and 4 will be Foursomes (alternate shot) play.
Four-ball: Each player plays his own golf ball with the bets score for the hole contributing to the team score.
Foursomes: Players take it in turns to hit the one golf ball.
THE GOLF COURSE
Metropolitan Golf Club is a gem (36-36–72 7,308 yards/6682 metres). Often the best conditioned golf course on the sandbelt, Metropolitan has some of the best bunkers anywhere in the world with several eating their way right into the greens. Metropolitan has hosted many big golf tournaments over the years but probably the biggest with the 2001 WGC Match Play Championship – still the only WGC event to be held in Australia.
THE WEATHER
It’s looking crappy. Maximum daily temperatures in the high teens with rain, and possibly hail forecast.
THE PLAYERS
The field is comprised of two players from each of the 28 countries represented. They will play in pairs for the four rounds.
Australia Marc Leishman / Cameron Smith
Belgium Thomas Pieters/Thomas Detry
Canada Adam Hadwin / Nick Taylor
China Haotong Li / Ashun Wu
Denmark Thorbjorn Olesen / Soren Kjeldsen
England Tyrrell Hatton / Ian Poulter
Finland Mikko Korhonen / Mikko Ilonen
France Alexander Levy / Mike Lorenzo -Vera
Germany Martin Kaymer / Max Kieffer
Greece Peter Karmis/Alexander Tranacher
India Anirban Lahiri / Gaganjeet Bhullar
Ireland Shane Lowry / Paul Dunne
Italy Andrea Pavan / Renato Paratore
Japan Satoshi Kodaira / Hideto Tanihara
Korea Byeong Hun An / Si Woo Kim
Netherlands Joost Luiten / Daan Huizing
New Zealand Ryan Fox / Mark Brown
Malaysia Gavin Kyle Green / Ben Leong
Mexico Abraham Ancer / Roberto Diaz
Scotland Russell Knox / Martin Laird
Spain Adrian Otaegui / Jorge Campillo
South Africa Dylan Frittelli / Erik van Rooyen
Sweden Alexander Bjork / Joakim Lagergren
Thailand Kiradech Aphibarnrat / Prom Meesawat
United States Kyle Stanley / Matt Kuchar
Venezuela Jhonattan Vegas / Joseph Naffah
Wales Stuart Manley / Bradley Dredge
Zimbabwe Scott Vincent / Benjamin Follett-Smith
