See All Sites

Golf’s World Cup Sports An Impressive Field

Nov 22, 2011 | Filed Under: General News   Share

In 2009 the Italian dynamos Edoardo and Francesco Molinari captured The World Cup of Golf and established themselves as two of the top young golfers in the world.  If they hope to repeat as world champions they must hold off an impressive field of some of the best players on the planet.

The team of Graeme McDowell and Rory McIroy from Northern Ireland are considered to be the favorites coming into the event.  Both have had an excellent 2011 with McDowell ranked number 14 in the world and McIlroy capturing his first Major, the US Open.

“Rory and I are taking it very seriously and we would certainly love this to be on our resume,” said McDowell.

The Northern Irish are not the only powerhouse teams in the competition.  South Africa sends 2011 Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel and suddenly surging Louis Oosthuizen, world no. 10 Matt Kuchar and the impossibly long hitting Gary Woodland represent the USA, and Accenture Match Play champion Ian Poulter and the always dangerous Justin Rose will tee it up for England.

“It’s a very strong field this year and I expect to see excellent play across the board.  Golf is a solitary sport it is really fun to get the chance to play in a team format,” said Gary Player.

“Just like the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup you never know what will happen when you get so many top players together.  I am looking forward to watching it and am pulling for the boys from South Africa,” he added.

The World Cup is comprised of twenty-eight teams from, each one of a different nationality.  The Championship is a 72-hole stroke play team event with each team comprising of two players. The first and third days are four-ball (best ball) play and the second and final days are foursomes play.

The Blackstone course at Mission Hills is a par-73 that can play as long as 7,808 yards under tournament conditions.  One of the more interesting features of the course set up is the lack of rough.  The absence of difficult rough and the length of the course may tempt the players to trade distance for accuracy, but the 147 bunkers that dot the course are not a forgiving alternative.  More times than not these anything but small and flat bunkers punish errant tee shots so players should be wary of using the driver too often.

« Back