The 2016 World Cup of Golf will return to the past with a format of 28 two-man teams, headed by defending champions Jason Day and Adam Scott of Australia, and will be staged from November 23rd-27th at Kingston Heath GC in Strayla. Early commitments from some of golf’s biggest stars for the 58th staging suggest golf fans will be in for an absolute treat, with the depth of field already rivalling that of the 2013 event at Royal Melbourne.
While the highest-ranked players from their respective countries have committed to the World Cup of Golf, players have until August 26th to choose their playing partner. Some players have opted to do so already, while others will take their time in deciding their teammate.
Headlining the field are Day and Scott, who return to defend their title from the last playing of the World Cup of Golf in 2013. “The victory at the 2013 World Cup of Golf was a kick-start to a phenomenal stretch of golf for me,” world number one Day said. “I am truly looking forward to the new team format with Adam. I really can’t imagine a better scenario than to represent Australia in our home country, with one of my good mates at Kingston Heath, one of my all-time favourite courses.” In a surprise to nobody, Day selected Scott as his partner with the Queenslander returning to his favourite Australian golf course where he has a past pedigree as a winner of the Australian Masters in 2012. “Since the announcement that the World Cup of Golf was returning to a true, team format and would be played at Kingston Heath, one of my favourite courses in the world, I have been looking forward to teaming up with Jason to defend our 2013 title,” Scott said. “I am excited to be representing my country alongside Jason, whose recent record shows why he is one of the most talented players in the game.“
The confirmation of nine-time PGA TOUR winner and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson’s return to Melbourne is another reason for fans to be rushing through the gates to witness his unique and exciting brand of attacking golf. Watson is yet to choose a partner to join him for his first appearance for the United States at the World Cup of Golf but, buoyed by his tied 8th finish at the Olympics, he cited pride in playing for his country as one of the reasons for committing to the World Cup of Golf. “Anytime I can represent my country, I get excited. It is a great honour to put on the red, white and blue,” Watson said. “I’ve been wanting to make the World Cup of Golf team for a while. I love the team format, it is different to other events that we play and I know it will be a great experience.” “I have visited Melbourne a couple of times. I love going to Australia, the Sandbelt courses are awesome. They normally play super fast and you have to be creative to play well which suits my game.” “Australians are huge sport fans and that creates a special atmosphere. I can’t wait to get down there.”
Reigning Masters champion Danny Willett and his countryman Lee Westwood, who were paired together in the final round at The Masters this year, will form a powerful combination in Melbourne. The World Cup of Golf will be the third such chance that Willett will get to play representative golf this year, after playing in the Olympics for Great Britain and as a certainty for Europe in their upcoming Ryder Cup defence in October. “It’s always great to represent your country. You don’t get the chance to do it too often so I’m excited about playing the World Cup. I was at Royal Melbourne in 2013, and although I didn’t play as well as I would’ve liked, it was a cracking course and I’ve heard Kingston Heath is just as good,” Willett said. “It’s a different format this time so I’m really looking forward to playing with ‘Westy’ [Lee Westwood]. He’s played in nine Ryder Cups and has unbelievable experience of foursomes and fourballs, so I couldn’t have picked a better partner.”
Others to commit include Japan’s top player Hideki Matsuyama, who will be making his first Australian tournament appearance, and a host of others who have been recent winners on the PGA TOUR and European Tours: Rafa Cabrero-Bello, Emiliano Grillo, Soren Kjeldsen, David Lingmerth, Alex Noren, Russell Knox, Shane Lowry, Danny Lee, Joost Luiten and Jhonattan Vegas.
Returning to Melbourne after appearing for their countries in the 2013 Cup will be European stars Victor Dubuisson, Francesco Molinari, Nicolas Colsaerts, Thorbjorn Olesen and Bernd Wiesberger, while Hall of Famer Vijay Singh will be returning once again to a city he might regard as ‘home’, with many family members still residing in the southern capital.
In addition to Matsuyama, the Asian representation is already highly impressive with commitments received from the popular Thailand’s Thonghai Jaidee, China’s Wu Ashun, Korea’s Byeong Hun An and the talented Miguel Tabuena from The Philippines.
56 players from 28 countries are officially committed as a team to the World Cup of Golf at Kingston Heath Golf Club, November 24-27, 2016.
Australia Jason Day Adam Scott #TeamAUS Austria Bernd Wiesberger Martin Wiegele #TeamAUT Belgium Thomas Pieters Nicolas Colsaerts #TeamBEL Canada David Hearn Graham DeLaet #TeamCAN China Wu Ashun Haotong Li #TeamCHN Chinese Taipei C.T. Pan Chan Shih-chang #TeamTPE Denmark Soren Kjeldsen Thorbjorn Olesen #TeamDEN England Danny Willett Lee Westwood #TeamENG Fiji Vijay Singh Krishna Singh #TeamFIJ France Victor Dubuisson Romain Langasque #TeamFRA Germany Alex Cejka Stephan Jaeger #TeamGER India SSP Chawrasia S Chikarangappa #TeamIND Ireland Shane Lowry Graeme McDowell #TeamIRL Italy Francesco Molinari Matteo Manassero #TeamITL Japan Hideki Matsuyama Ryo Ishikawa #TeamJPN Korea Byeong Hun An K.T. Kim #TeamKOR Netherlands Joost Luiten Darius van Driel #TeamNED New Zealand Danny Lee Ryan Fox #TeamNZL Philippines Miguel Tabuena Angelo Que #TeamPHI Portugal Ricardo Gouveia José-Filipe Lima #TeamPOR Scotland Russell Knox Duncan Stewart #TeamSCO South Africa Jaco Van Zyl George Coetzee #TeamRSA Spain Rafa Cabrera Bello Jon Rahm #TeamESP Sweden Alex Noren David Lingmerth #TeamSWE United States Rickie Fowler Jimmy Walker #TeamUSA Thailand Thongchai Jaidee Kiradech Aphibranrat #TeamTHA Venezuela Jhonattan Vegas Julio Vegas #TeamVEN Wales Jamie Donaldson Bradley Dredge #TeamWAL
56 players from 28 countries are officially committed as a team to the World Cup of Golf at Kingston Heath Golf Club, November 24-27, 2016.Australia Jason Day Adam Scott #TeamAUS Austria Bernd Wiesberger Martin Wiegele #TeamAUT Belgium Thomas Pieters
World No. 1 Jason Day’s back injury rehabilitation has forced his withdrawal from the World Cup of Golf and the Emirates Australian Open in November. Day was set to defend the World Cup with Adam Scott at Kingston Heath on Nov. 24-27 a week after playing in his home countries national Open in Sydney.
World No. 1 Jason Day’s back injury rehabilitation has forced his withdrawal from the World Cup of Golf and the Emirates Australian Open in November.Day was set to defend the World Cup with Adam Scott at Kingston Heath on Nov. 24-27 a week after pl
Danny Willett withdrew from the British Masters ahead of the first round on Thursday due to a back injury - had winced after hitting a drive in the pro-am round on the eve of the tournament. It's a LOOONG LOOOOOOONG flight to OZ. ANY MORE NEWS ?
Danny Willett withdrew from the British Masters ahead of the first round on Thursday due to a back injury - had winced after hitting a drive in the pro-am round on the eve of the tournament. It's a LOOONG LOOOOOOONG flight to OZ.ANY MORE NEWS ?
Australia Adam Scott Marc Leishman 5/1 fav Austria Bernd Wiesberger Martin Wiegele 150/1 Belgium Thomas Pieters Nicolas Colsaerts 16/1 Canada David Hearn Adam Hadwin 66/1 China Wu Ashun Haotong Li Chinese Taipei C.T. Pan Chan Shih-chang Denmark Soren Kjeldsen Thorbjorn Olesen 22/1 England Chris Wood Andy Sullivan 14/1 France Victor Dubuisson Romain Langasque 33/1 Germany Alex Cejka Stephan Jaeger India SSP Chawrasia Chikkarangappa S Ireland Shane Lowry Graeme McDowell 14/1 Italy Francesco Molinari Matteo Manassero 25/1 Japan Hideki Matsuyama Ryo Ishikawa 8/1 2nd fav Korea Byeong Hun An K.T. Kim 22/1 Malaysia Danny Chia Nicholas Fung Netherlands Joost Luiten Darius van Driel New Zealand Danny Lee Ryan Fox 33/1 Philippines Miguel Tabuena Angelo Que Portugal Ricardo Gouveia José-Filipe Lima Scotland Russell Knox Duncan Stewart 50/1 South Africa Jaco Van Zyl George Coetzee Spain Rafa Cabrera Bello Jon Rahm 10/1 Sweden Alex Noren David Lingmerth 12/1 United States Rickie Fowler Jimmy Walker 9/1 Thailand Thongchai Jaidee Kiradech Aphibarnrat 25/1 Venezuela Jhonattan Vegas Julio Vegas Wales Bradley Dredge Stuart Manley
The return of the fourball and foursome formats this year means there will be no individual award up for grabs this time around, but the Aussies will still have local knowledge in their favour. Team Australia has won two of the four editions (1959, 2013) when it's been played on home soil.
Rickie Fowler / Jimmy Walker USA and Chris Wood / Andy Sullivan England form the only WC Teams inside OWGR Top 50
Heideki at #6 is the highest ranked with 16 of the Top 50 28 Teams/56 players - OWGR 6 Hideki Matsuyama 7 Adam Scott 9 Alex Noren 12 Rickie Fowler 18 Russell Knox 19 Jimmy Walker.
2012 Australian Masters from Kingston Heath... - 17: Adam Scott wins from - 13: Ian Poulter - there was only 2 shots in it with 2 to play but a dramatic 17th where defending champion Poults missed a gimme 2-footer for bogey and put Scott back into his 3 shot lead. - 9: Mark Brown - 9: Gareth Paddison - 6: Adam Crawford - 4: Peter Senior - 4: Michael Hendry - 2: Graeme McDowell - 2: David Bransdon
Country / Name / Partner / Betting... Australia Adam Scott Marc Leishman 5/1 favAustria Bernd Wiesberger Martin Wiegele 150/1Belgium Thomas Pieters Nicolas Colsaerts 16/1Canada David Hearn Adam Hadwin 66/1China Wu Ashun Haotong Li Chinese Taipei C.T.
Ireland's Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell are just three shots off the lead at the World Cup of Golf in Melbourne. The duo had three birdies/bogeys to end the opening round of foursomes on level par 72 as teams in the 28-nation field laboured on slick greens on a windy day at Kingston Heath.
LEADERS... -3...... Spain (Rafa Cabrera Bello/Jon Rahm); -2...... France, USA (Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker), China(Wu Ashun/Li Haotong); -1...... England (Chris Wood/Andy Sullivan), Italy (Francesco Molinari/Matteo Manassero); Level... Sweden, Denmark, Ireland
Fancied hosts Australia, anchored by world number seven Adam Scott, disappointed with a 74. His partnership with Marc Leishman got off to a rocky start with bogeys on the second and the sixth and the pair managed only one birdie for the round on the 15th. Leishman let his team mate down by missing a number of makeable putts, including a short one for par on the 18th that left them five strokes adrift for Saturday's four-ball round.
73 – Belgium, Austria, Japan, Thailand; 74 – Wales, Germany, Venezuela, Portugal, Taiwan, India, South Korea, Australia (Adam Scott/Marc Leishman); 75 – Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand (Danny Lee/Ryan Fox); 76 – South Africa; 77 – Philippines, Malaysia; 78 – Scotland (Russell Knox/Duncan Stewart).
Ireland's Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell are just three shots off the lead at the World Cup of Golf in Melbourne. The duo had three birdies/bogeys to end the opening round of foursomes on level par 72 as teams in the 28-nation field laboured on slic
RD2. TEE TIMES for later...BST times Thurs/Friday am morning (in leaderboard reverse order).
9.28: Miguel Tabuena/Angelo Que (PHI), Russel Knox/Duncan Stewart (SCO) 9.42: Danny Chia/Nicholas Fung (MAS), Jaco Van Zyl/George Coetzee (RSA) 9.56: Danny Lee/Ryan Fox (NZL), Joost Luiten/Darius Van Driel (NED) 10.10: David Hearn/Adam Hadwin (CAN), Adam Scott/Marc Leishman (AUS) 10.24: Byeong Hun An/KT Kim (KOR), Bradley Dredge/Stuart Manley (WAL) 10.38: Alex Cejka/Stephan Jaeger (GER), Ricardo Gouveia/Jose-Filipe Lima (POR) 10.52: Jhonattan Vegas/Julio Vegas (VEN), CT Pan/Shih-Chang Chan (TPE) 11.06: Thomas Pieters/Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL), SSP Chawrasia/S Chikarangappa (IND) 11.20: Hideki Matsuyama/Ryo Ishikawa (JPN), Thongchai Jaidee/Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) 11.34: Bernd Wiesberger/Martin Wiegele (AUT), Shane Lowry/Graeme McDowell (IRL) 11.48: Soren Kjeldsen/Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN), Alex Noren/David Lingmerth (SWE) 12.02am: Francesco Molinari/Matteo Manassero (ITL), Chris Wood/Andy Sullivan (ENG) 12.16am: Rickie Fowler/Jimmy Walker (USA), Wu Ashun/Li Haotong (CHN) 12.30am: V Dubuisson/R Langasque (FRA), Rafa Cabrera Bello/Jon Rahm (ESP)
RD2. TEE TIMES for later...BST times Thurs/Friday am morning (in leaderboard reverse order).9.28: Miguel Tabuena/Angelo Que (PHI), Russel Knox/Duncan Stewart (SCO)9.42: Danny Chia/Nicholas Fung (MAS), Jaco Van Zyl/George Coetzee (RSA)9.56: Danny Lee/
denmark team have been solid here so far but you feel their chances depend a lot on whether olesen can keep a hold of his nerves- no doubt soren will keep plodding along but if one starts playing badly he might drag the other with him.
surely here the value are fowler and walker.denmark team have been solid here so far but you feel their chances depend a lot on whether olesen can keep a hold of his nerves- no doubt soren will keep plodding along but if one starts playing badly he m
Positon Country Players Overall Day 3 Score 1. Denmark S. Kjeldsen/T. Olesen -14 70 2/7 2. USA R. Fowler/J. Walker -10 69 6/1 is the bet ! 3. China Wu A./Li H. -9 72 20/1 T4. Spain R. Cabrera Bello/J. Rahm -7 73 33/1 T4. France V. Dubuisson/R. Langasque -7 72 40/1 T4. Japan H. Matsuyama/R. Ishikawa -7 71 25/1 7. Italy F. Molinari/M. Manassero -6 73 66/1 T8. Sweden A. Noren/D. Lingmerth -5 73 100/1 T8. New Zealand D. Lee/R. Fox -5 72 200/1 T8. Ireland S. Lowry/G McDowell -5 70 125/1
Soren Kjeldsen and Thorbjorn Olesen have tightened their grip on what would be a maiden golf World Cup triumph for Denmark. The rock-solid Kjeldsen and free-swinging Olesen combined for a two-under-par 70 in the alternate-shot third round on Saturday at Kingston Heath. It lifted them to 14-under 202, four shots ahead of the crack US pairing of Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker with just Sunday’s better-ball round to come.
Fowler and Walker carded a 69 on Saturday to move to outright second at 10 under, one shot clear of China’s Wu Ashun and Li Haotong. Highly rated Japanese duo Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Ishikara, Frenchmen Victor Dubuisson and Romain Langasque and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello and Jon Rahm were tied for fourth at seven under.
Kjeldsen and Olesen blew the event wide open on Friday with a spectacular 12-under 60 in the better-ball round. Saturday was more about consolidation, although the Danes did enough to increase their overnight lead from three shots to four. Kiwi's have a lot to do for a top 4 finish
World Cup of Golf 2016: Day 3 LeaderboardPositon Country Players Overall Day 3 Score 1. Denmark S. Kjeldsen/T. Olesen -14 70 2/72. USA R. Fowler/J. Walker -10 69 6/1 is the bet !3. China Wu A./Li H. -9 72 20/1 T4. Spain R. Cabrera Bello/J. Rahm -7 73
1 Denmark S. Kjeldsen / T. Olesen -20 -6 72 60 70 66 268
The total purse is $A10.9 million ($US8 million) with the winners share totalling $3.4 million ($US2.56 million) or $US1.28M each. ...nice work if you can get it.
T2 V. Dubuisson / R. Langasque -16 -9 70 67 72 63 272 $US880,333 each. T2 Wu A. / Li H. -16 -7 70 65 72 65 272 T2 R. Fowler / J. Walker -16 -6 70 67 69 66 272
5 A. Noren / D. Lingmerth -15 -10 72 66 73 62 273 $US380,000.
T6 F. Molinari / M. Manassero -14 -8 71 66 73 64 274 $US297,500 each. T6 H. Matsuyama / R. Ishikawa -14 -7 73 65 71 65 274
8 R. Cabrera Bello / J. Rahm -13 -6 69 67 73 66 275 $US215,000.
T9 A. Scott / M. Leishman -11 -7 74 68 70 65 277 $US142,500 each or $US71,250/person. T9 S. Lowry / G. McDowell -11 -6 72 69 70 66 277
28th The Philippines Miguel Tabuena / Angelo Que $US54,000.
1 Denmark S. Kjeldsen / T. Olesen -20 -6 72 60 70 66 268 The total purse is $A10.9 million ($US8 million) with the winners share totalling $3.4 million ($US2.56 million) or $US1.28M each....nice work if you can get it.T2 V. Dubuisson / R. Langasq
Marc Leishman will partner with Cameron Smith for the home team when Australia hosts the World Cup of Golfat Metropolitan Golf Club (Melbourne Sandbelt) - 22nd-25th November 2018.
Jason Day was not available for Australia due to the pending birth of his child, and that Leishman, as captain, chose Smith over Adam Scott to play alongside him in the 56-man, $7M tournament. Australia has won the World Cup five times, with Scott and Day the most recent winners in 2013 at Royal Melbourne with Leishman and Scott finishing tied for ninth at Kingston Heath in 2016. The US team would be Kyle Stanley, and Matt Kuchar, who won the 2011 World Cup title with then-partner Gary Woodland. Jordan Spieth's wedding to childhood sweetheart girlfriend, Annie Verret, has ruled out several of the world's top 20 players, including Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas.
Defending World Cup of Golf champions Denmark are set to return, with Thorbjorn Olesen a committed starter. Olesen partnered Soren Kjeldsen to capture a four-shot win in 2016 and has until next Thursday to confirm his playing partner for a title defense in November. In-form Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox will spearhead New Zealand's challenge and now gets to choose his playing partner. Presumably that will be Danny Lee, the next highest ranked Kiwi who plies his trade on the US PGA Tour and has retained his card for another year after a solid season. Fox has until September 20 to nominate his playing partner, Fox is having a career-best season on the European Tour, sitting at No 11 on the race to Dubai rankings, and has played in three of the year's four majors, finishing inside the top 45 of all three.
India’s Shubhankar Sharma is set to participate while Gavin Kyle Green will represent Malaysia earning the last and final spot in the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf field. 24yo Gavin squeezed into the final field after two qualifiers – Taiwan’s C.T. Pan and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann – withdrew.
Spots in the World Cup field go to the highest-ranked available players from the top 28 nations with the 56 players representing the 28 nations lining up to be finalisednext Thursday the 20th September.
Marc Leishman will partner with Cameron Smith for the home team when Australia hosts the World Cup of Golf at Metropolitan Golf Club (Melbourne Sandbelt) - 22nd-25th November 2018.Jason Day was not available for Australia due to the pending birth of
Australia 5 England 7 USA 8 South Africa 12 Denmark 12 China 16 Ireland 16 Belgium 16 Scotland 18 NZ 25's India, Spain, France 28's 33's bar (incl Germany).
NOW might be a good time to nick the 12's on SA
Australia 5England 7USA 8South Africa 12Denmark 12China 16Ireland 16Belgium 16Scotland 18NZ 25'sIndia, Spain, France 28's33's bar (incl Germany). NOW might be a good time to nick the 12's on SA
Country Seeded player Unseeded player Australia Marc Leishman Cameron Smith England Tyrrell Hatton Ian Poulter United States Kyle Stanley Matt Kuchar Thailand Kiradech Aphibarnrat Prom Meesawat Denmark Thorbjørn Olesen Søren Kjeldsen Japan Satoshi Kodaira Hideto Tanihara South Korea An Byeong-hun Kim Si-woo China Li Haotong Wu Ashun Canada Adam Hadwin Nick Taylor Scotland Russell Knox Martin Laird Belgium Thomas Pieters Thomas Detry South Africa Dylan Frittelli Erik van Rooyen Sweden Alexander Björk Joakim Lagergren New Zealand Ryan Fox Danny Lee Venezuela Jhonattan Vegas Joseph Naffah Spain Adrián Otaegui Jorge Campillo Ireland Shane Lowry Paul Dunne France Alexander Lévy Mike Lorenzo-Vera Netherlands Joost Luiten Daan Huizing India Anirban Lahiri Gaganjeet Bhullar Finland Mikko Korhonen Mikko Ilonen Mexico Abraham Ancer Roberto Díaz Germany Martin Kaymer Maximilian Kieffer Italy Andrea Pavan Renato Paratore Zimbabwe Scott Vincent Benjamin Follett-Smith Malaysia Gavin Green Ben Leong Wales Stuart Manley Bradley Dredge Greece Peter Karmis Alexander Tranacher
Country Seeded player Unseeded player Australia Marc Leishman Cameron Smith England Tyrrell Hatton Ian Poulter United States Kyle Stanley Matt Kuchar Thailand Kiradech Aphibarnrat Prom Meesawat Denmark Thor