Swedes favourites at World Cup
BY Bruce Young | Asian Tour | 2008 World Cup | Preview | 25 Nov 2008
The World Cup of Golf begins on Thursday at the Mission Hills Golf Club’s Olazabal Course in Shenzhen in Southern China in an event where there are many chances to win the coveted and lucrative title.
Played over four days, the event involves two days of fourball and two days of foursome matches where the emphasis on the combination of the teams as much or if not more than individual skills. As a result the potential for a lesser ranked country to win is increased. Fourball is played on Thursday and Saturday while Friday and Sunday are reserved for the Foursomes alternate shot format.
The defending champion is the Scottish team of Colin Montgomerie and Alistair Forsyth although in 2007 it was Marc Warren who combined with Montgomerie to take the title in a playoff over the American pair of Heath Slocum and Boo Weekley.
With a winning purse of US$1,600,000 to the winning team and US$41,000 for the last placed team in the event there is much to play for and for many in the field this week a chance to secure prizemoney beyond their wildest expectations.
On paper the Swedish team of Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson look the team to beat. As the 6th and 12th ranked players in the world their class should take them a long way but this event is not always about the best players winning.
The next highest world ranked player in the field is Miguel Angel Jimenez who will team with Pablo Larrazabal for Spain. Larrazabal played well last week in Hong Kong and Jimenez is a wily old campaigner.
The American team of Brandt Snedeker and Ben Curtis must be some sort of consideration on reputation alone with Curtis in particular having a very good season in 2008. Snedeker is not at his peak but his 8th place finish at last week’s Dunlop Phoenix was solid enough.
The Danish team of Soren and Anders Hansen appear as a likely combination with both players in good enough form to further strengthen their already formidable combination this week.
The English combination of Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher must be considered with Fisher in particular producing a very consistent season and Poulter a season which saw him record his best finish in a major championship when runner up at Royal Birkdale.
The Australians are represented by Brendan Jones and Richard Green. Green has not had a good season plagued by injury and inconsistency but Jones has continued to do well in Japan.
Of the Asian teams India (Jyoti Rhandawa and Jeev Milkha Singh), Japan (Ryuji Imada and Toru Taniguchi) and Chinese Taipei (Lin Wen-tang and Lu-Wen-teh) are genuine chances more especially the Indians. Singh is outstanding form and although Rhandawa has struggled in recent months he could provide enough support to Singh for their combination to go a long way.
New Zealand has Japan Tour regular David Smail and the rejuvinated Mark Brown as their combination and although neither is at their best in recent weeks they are capable enough.
This is an evenly matched affair with any one of a dozen countries in with a chance.
