A total of four Major Champions, six Ryder Cup stars and 31 European Tour winners will line up for the 57thedition of the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf, which will be held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club from November 21-24.
Home hero Adam Scott, Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, Argentina’s Angel Cabrera and Fiji’s Vijay Singh make up the quartet of Major men who will be going for glory – and a prize fund of US$8million – in the Australian city of Melbourne next month.
Between them, the four have amassed no fewer than 36 European Tour titles, but as yet none has tasted success in the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf.
The same could not be said for American Matt Kuchar, Italy’s Francesco Molinari and German Marcel Siem, the only three players in the 60-man field to have triumphed in the tournament, which this year reverts to a stroke play format but still retains a team component.
Siem and playing partner Bernhard Langer defeated their Scottish counterparts Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren in a play-off in 2006; the Molinari brothers, Edoardo and Francesco, became the first Italians to win the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf when they prevailed in 2009; and Kuchar was partnered by his compatriot Gary Woodland to glory at the Mission Hills Resort in China two years ago.
Kuchar and Siem have both enjoyed individual success this season – the American winning the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and the Memorial Tournament on the US PGA TOUR, and the German the Trophée Hassan II in Morocco – and the duo will be joined at Royal Melbourne Golf Club by ten of their fellow winners from The 2013 European Tour International Schedule.
They are: World Number Two Scott (Masters Tournament); World Number 12 McDowell (Volvo World Match Play Championship and Alstom Open de France); World Number 31 Matteo Manassero of Italy (BMW PGA Championship); World Number 39 Richard Sterne of South Africa (Joburg Open); World Number 44 Jamie Donaldson of Wales (Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship); World Number 54 Joost Luiten of the Netherlands (Lyoness Open powered by Greenfinity and KLM Open); World Number 58 Chris Wood of England (Commercialbank Qatar Masters); World Number 65 Stephen Gallacher of Scotland (Omega Dubai Desert Classic); World Number 87 Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand (Maybank Malaysian Open); and World Number 123 Grégory Bourdy of France (ISPS Handa Wales Open).
The make-up of the 60-man field was based on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), with up to two players per country allowed to qualify (or four per country if they were within the top 15 of the OWGR).
The format will return to 72 holes of stroke play, with individual players competing for US$7 million of the US$8 million prize fund.
The top two-ranked players from each country will compete for the team event, using combined stroke play scores.
First played in 1953, the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf is one of the oldest and most prestigious team events, inviting two-man teams from 26 nations to represent their countries. The list of former champions reads like a who’s who of golf, with great names such as Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Sir Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Colin Montgomerie all having lifted the trophy.
Tickets for the tournament are on sale now from www.ticketmaster.com.au.
About ISPS
ISPS is a ‘General Incorporated Association’ based in Tokyo. ISPS was founded by Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa in 2006 to support charitable causes throughout the sporting world. ISPS has fostered partnerships with golf governing bodies worldwide to help develop the game at every level and promote blind and disabled golf. ISPS’s heritage in supporting blind and disabled golf and Dr Handa’s interest and philanthropic contribution in golf has formed the foundation of its wider mission for golf to become a Paralympic sport. Visit www.ispsgolf.com
About Melbourne
Known as one of the world’s most liveable cities, it is Melbourne’s sophisticated, yet edgy style combined with super-friendly people that gives the city its personality. With an impressive calendar of high profile international events, including The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and The Australian Open Tennis Championships, Melbourne is a leader in staging major events and providing a world-class welcome to international visitors.
With inner-city precincts ranging from the infamous city centre laneways to the beachy, bayside chic of the south and eclectic northside cool – Melbourne is a city of constant discovery where fashion, food, sport and entertainment, shopping, heritage, the arts and good living all come together to creative a lifestyle envied by many around the world. Food and wine lovers in particular will be in food heaven in gourmet Melbourne. Eating experiences range from award-winning celebrity chef restaurants to farmers markets selling locally sourced wines and fresh produce.
As one of the most compact regions in Australia, Victoria offers a huge variety of landscapes and experiences within a few hours of Melbourne. Whether its deserts, alpine ski resorts, mighty rivers, great lakes, wildlife, or the unparalleled spectacle and beauty of the world renowned Great Ocean Road, Victoria is all about quality experiences.
Many of the state’s regional attractions, including valleys of vineyards and international surf beaches, are less than a two-hour drive from Melbourne. But with more time to spare, the entire state offers a variety of scenic routes ideal for self-drive and personalised tours.
About the International Federation of PGA Tours
The International Federation of PGA Tours was formed in 1996 by golf’s five world governing bodies – The European Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organization, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour (South Africa PGA Tour) with the purpose of providing a forum for the world’s professional golf organizations to discuss issues of mutual importance and, together, develop and promote the game of golf on a global basis. As part of its mission, the Federation initiated the World Golf Championships in 1999. The Asian Tour joined the International Federation of PGA Tours in November 1999, while the Canadian Tour and the Tour de las Americas joined the Federation as associate members in 2000 and 2007, respectively.
In step with global growth of professional golf, the International Federation of PGA Tours announced an expansion and restructuring of its membership in 2009, adding the International Golf Association and additional professional golf tours, including – for the first time – women’s golf tours: China Golf Association; Korea Professional Golfers’ Association; Professional Golf Tour of India; LPGA Tour; Ladies European Tour; Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour; Japan LPGA; Korean LPGA; and Ladies Asian Golf Tour.
About the International Golf Association
The International Golf Association (IGA) is a not-for-profit corporation, chartered in the State of New York in 1956. IGA is governed by its seven-member Board of Directors. Jonathan Linen is the IGA Board Chairman. Through its association with the International Federation of PGA Tours, IGA continues its international goodwill through golf mission and looks forward to the 2013 return of the World Cup to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, one of the world’s greatest golf venues.
About IMG
IMG Worldwide is a global sports, fashion and media business, with nearly 3,500 employees operating in 30 countries around the globe. IMG’s areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging: IMG College; IMG’s Joint Ventures in China, Brazil, India and Turkey; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Golf and IMG Tennis; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academy; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing. More information is available at www.imgworld.com Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ IMG_Worldwide and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IMG-Worldwide/
