DP World Tour announce Hero Cup: A new match play contest in Abu Dhabi
Two teams from Great Britain and Ireland and Continental Europe will face off at Abu Dhabi Golf Club from January 13-15, 2023.
The DP World Tour has announced the Hero Cup, a new team match play event which gives European players more experience in the format in 2023.
Revealed at Wentworth on Tuesday, two 10-man teams from Great Britain and Ireland and Continental Europe will be selected by European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald to play at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in January.
The team captains of both teams will be decided in due course and Donald will look to keep an eye on the action over the three-day event, contested with one session of foursomes, one session of fourballs and one session of singles.
The two teams will be confirmed following the conclusion of the 2022 DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, with performance on the DP World Tour Rankings taken into account in the player selection process.
During the announcement, European Ryder Cup Director Guy Kinnings said the Hero Cup will look to attract the participation of the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Matthew Fitzpatrick, depending on each player's 2023 schedule.
During the event from January 13-15, Donald will be in close consultation with each team captain as the DP World Tour looks to strategically plan ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy.
"One of the first things I was keen to do when I was appointed as Ryder Cup Captain was to reinstate a team match play contest to give playing and leadership experience to future Ryder Cup players, vice-captains and Captains," Donald said.
"I spoke to a number of former Ryder Cup Captains who were strong advocates of how similar events in the past have benefitted players who were pushing to make Ryder Cup teams, as well as their own captaincy journey.
"I am therefore grateful to Hero MotoCorp and the DP World Tour for supporting the concept of the Hero Cup and I look forward to seeing the players compete at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in January."
It has not yet been decided if DP World Tour members who now play on the LIV Golf Series will be eligible to participate. More details of qualification criteria will be revealed in the near future.
