World Cup of Golf preview
After a two-year hiatus the World Cup is back - see how to watch it, the format, odds and tips
56 players. 28 Countries. 72 holes. One winner.
The World Cup of Golf beckons, and England have arrived in Australia following a shambolic selection process. Alas, it wouldn’t feel like a World Cup if that weren’t the case.
After Danny Willett and Justin Rose pulled out of the event citing back issues, towering Bristolian Chris Wood got the nod.
Perhaps he did not know – or just didn’t care – that Lee Westwood, Willett’s original partner, had already organised his schedule around the event, and haD booked his flight Down Under.
Because Wood chose to call up friend Andy Sullivan, causing a series of back-and-forths between the players, with multiple veiled barbs. They won’t be on each other’s Christmas lists.
The rest of the field seemed to select their two-man team without having to resort to Twitter wars, and there is an abundance of talent competing for the coveted trophy.
Following a two-year hiatus, the tournament makes a comeback in 2016, hoping to re-brand itself as a heavyweight contest on the golfing calendar.
Adam Scott and Jason Day are the defending champions.
Australia - Adam Scott and Marc Leishman
United States - Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker
Japan - Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Ishikawa
England - Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan
Scotland - Russell Knox and Duncan Stewart
Spain - Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Jon Rahm
Ireland - Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell
South Korea - An Byeong-hun and Kim Kyung-tae
Thailand - Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Denmark - Soren Kjeldse and Thorbjorn Olesen
New Zealand - Danny Lee and Ryan Fox
Sweden - Alexander Noren and David Lingmerth
Italy - Francesco Molinari and Matteo Manassero
Austria - Bernd Wiesberger and NMartin Wiegele
Belgium - Thomas Pieters and Nicolas Colsaerts
Netherlands - Joost Luiten and Darius van Driel
South Africa - Jaco van Zyl and George Coetzee
Venezuela - Jhonattan Vegas and Julio Vegas
France - Victor Dubuisson and Romain Langasque
Wales - Bradley Dredge and Stuart Manley
Germany - Alex Cejka and Stephen Jagar
Portugal - Ricardo Gouveia and Jose-Filipe Lima
Canada - David Hearn and Adam Hadwin
China - Wu Ashun and Li Haotong
Phillipines - Miguel Tabuena and Angelo Que
Taiwan - Pan Cheng-tsung and Chan Shih-chang
India - Shiv Chawrasia and Seenappa Chikkarangappa
Malaysia - Danny Chia and Nicholas Fung
This year the event returns as a team competition, over 72 holes of strokeplay. Days one and three are foursomes while fourball better balls take over on the second and fourth days.
Kingston Heath is one of Australia’s famous sand belt courses, designed by Dan Soutar and Alister MacKenzie.
Par: 72
Length: 7,059 yards
The event will be covered on Sky Sports from Thursday to Sunday, 4pm to 1am.
If you do not have a Sky Sports subscription, Now TV offer daily, weekly or monthly passes.
Japan 15/2 – Red-hot Matsuyama teams up with streaky Ishikawa. If the latter can turn it on, they will be hard to beat.
Spain – 9/1 Long hitter and in form Cabrera-Bello has rookie Rahm as his right-hand man, Length and experience coupled with a youngster that has proved his worth on the top Tour already.
Belgium – 14/1 Colsaerts and Pieters are two of the longest hitters on Tour, and could overpower this course. If their short games travel with them, watch out.
Sweden – 11/1 Noren cannot stop winning, and Lingmerth has pedigree at the highest level. They combine length and accuracy.
France 28/1 – For an outside bet, Dubuisson showed form at the Tour Championship, while Langasque will be on a high after recently securing his European Tour card.
