World Cup of Golf all about combinations
BY Bruce Young | Asian Tour | 2007 World Cup | Preview | 20 Nov 2007
The World Cup of Golf continues a series of high class golf events in China over the past month.
Following on from the HSBC Championship in Shanghai two weeks ago and last week’s Hong Kong Open, the US$5 million Teams event will be played at the huge Mission Hills golf complex near Shenzhen in southern China. This will be the second occasion the World Cup has been staged at Mission Hills although much has changed since 1995 when Fred Couples and Davis Love were successful for the USA in a somewhat different format.
In 1995 it was the Jack Nicklaus layout that was used for the contest but in 2007 there are now 216 holes or twelve 18 hole courses at the complex and it is the Jose Maria Olazabal layout that will be used this year.
The defending champion will be Germany who defeated Scotland in a playoff although the successful pairing of Bernhard Langer and Marcel Siem have been replaced by Alex Cjeka and the brilliant European Tour rookie Martin Kaymer.
The tournament favourites are likely to be the English pairing of Justin Rose and Ian Poulter, both of whom are coming off the back of great wins in recent weeks. Poulter won the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan last weekend while Rose won his last start at Valderrama a month ago.
While it is of benefit to be in good form leading into the event, the nature of the format which is restricted to Foursome and Fourball, places a greater emphasis on the capacity of two players to combine successfully rather than any individual brilliance.
Other teams expected to do well include the American’s Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum both of whom are making their debut in the event but who have both had excellent seasons in 2007. Weekley won the Verizon Heritage event at Hilton Head earlier in the season while Slocum has recorded six top tens in what has been his best season on the PGA Tour.
The South African duo of Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman is the leading team in terms of world rankings although neither is in great form at present.
Amongst the teams from Asia, the Thais may well hold the key to success. Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng appear likely to combine well and with Jaidee finishing as joint runner up last week in Hong Kong, he is in the right form at the right time.
Nick O’Hern and Nathan Green will fly the Australian flag and, although neither is at the top of their game at present, the nature of their respective games suggest they may form a very good combination.
Stephen Scahill and Richard Lee may not be exactly the world golfing elite but they managed to get New Zealand through the pre-qualifying process and have a chance to pick up some significant cash if they can work well together.
The event starts on Thursday with Fourball played on Thursday and Saturday while on Friday and Sunday the Foursomes will test the combinations to the hilt.
Prizemoney on offer this week is at a level that some of these teams may not have competed for previously with the winning team sharing US$1.6 million, the 10th team earning US$101,000 and even the team finishing last earns US$40,000.
