World Cup of Golf preview: What you need to know
The World Cup of Golf tees off in Melbourne this week. So what is it? Where is it being played and who is playing?
The ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf is back on the PGA Tour schedule in Melbourne this week at the famous Kingston Heath Golf Club and assembling is the best field of golfers we’ve seen in Australia for some time.
The World Cup of Golf was last held in Melbourne in 2013, it 2013 when Australia’s Jason Day and Adam Scott romped to victory, 10-shots ahead of their nearest rivals, USA’s Kevin Streelman and Matt Kuchar.
This year, 56 players from 28 countries will tee it up at Kingston Heath in a unique teams format including Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama, Graeme McDowell, Russell Knox, Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker.
WHERE AND WHEN WILL IT BE PLAYED?
Melbourne’s famed Kingston Heath (6503m, Par 72) will play host to the World Cup of Golf for the first time – Thursday 24th November to Sunday 27th of November .
Although Australia has played host to the World Cup of Golf on four previous occasions, this will be the first time it has been played anywhere other than at Royal Melbourne.
Total Prizemoney: US$8,000,000
THE BETTING (see full teams below)
$4 Australia
$7 Japan
$8 Spain, USA
$11 England, Sweden
$14 Belgium
WHAT IS THE FORMAT?
Unlike the Olympic golf, this one will be played as a true teams event, with four-ball being played on Thursday and Saturday, and foursomes (alternate shot) played on Friday and Sunday. The lowest score after 72-holes will claim the trophy.
WHAT IS THE WEATHER DOING?
Well, it is being played in Melbourne so who really knows? IT was 38deg on Monday in Melbourne and Tuesday was forecast to be 19deg.
The outlook for later in the week is maximum’s about 18-20deg, with cloud and some rain. Meh.
HOW CAN I WATCH IT?
Tickets are available for between $35 and $70 for a daily pass and Channel 7 are broadcasting all four days of The World Cup of Golf.
THE TEAMS
Australia Adam Scott, Marc Leishman
Austria Bernd Wiesberger, Martin Wiegele
Belgium Thomas Pieters, Nicolas Colsaerts
Canada David Hearn, Adam Hadwin
China Wu Ashun, Haotong Li
Chinese Taipei C.T. Pan, Chan Shih-chang
Denmark Soren Kjeldsen, Thorbjorn Olesen
England Chris Wood, Andy Sullivan
France Victor Dubuisson, Romain Langasque
Germany Alex Cejka, Stephan Jaeger
India SSP Chawrasia, Chikkarangappa S
Ireland Shane Lowry, Graeme McDowell
Italy Francesco Molinari, Matteo Manassero
Japan Hideki Matsuyama, Ryo Ishikawa
Korea Byeong Hun An, K.T. Kim
Malaysia Danny Chia, Nicholas Fung
Netherlands Joost Luiten, Darius van Driel
New Zealand Danny Lee, Ryan Fox
Philippines Miguel Tabuena, Angelo Que
Portugal Ricardo Gouveia, José-Filipe Lima
Scotland Russell Knox, Duncan Stewart
South Africa Jaco Van Zyl, George Coetzee
Spain Rafa Cabrera, Bello Jon Rahm
Sweden Alex Noren, David Lingmerth
United States Rickie Fowler, Jimmy Walker
Thailand Thongchai Jaidee, Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Wales Bradley Dredge, Stuart Manley
