OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup - Preview & Picks

Weekly feature from David Jenkins @ Fettes Management looking at the top players and picks from this weeks Omega Mission Hills World Cup.

The Omega Mission Hills World Cup returns to the international golfing calendar this year as a biennial event with a record prize fund of US$7,500,000 at a brand new venue in the Mission Hills Resort on Hainan Island in Southern China. It remains the only team event in the men’s professional game where players can proudly represent their own countries and maintain its status as the oldest international team event in professional golf.

The Championship is a 72-hole stroke play team event with each team comprising of two players. The first and third days are four-ball (best ball) play and the second and final days are foursomes play. A total of 28 teams, each one of different nationality, will compete in the 2011 Omega Mission Hills World Cup.

Venue: Haninan Island, China

The World Cup will be hosted over the Blackstone course; a spectacular, 350-acre layout that weaves through a striking landscape of mature trees, expansive wetlands, ancient town ruins and ever-present lava rock, the 7,777- yard Blackstone features a myriad of risk / reward opportunities throughout the back nine.

Yards: 7,777 yards maximum
Par: Par 72

Field:

The Official World Golf Rankings as at July 18, 2011 will determine the 18 leading nations that qualify automatically for the Omega Mission Hills World Cup. The leading player may select any player of his choosing from the same country provided such player was ranked within the top 100 on the Official World Golf Ranking as of either July 18, 2011 or August 22, 2011. If there was no other player from that country within the top 100 on the OWGR on either of the dates, the exempt player’s partner shall be the next highest ranked available player.

Consider…:

The United States of America holds the record for the most number of wins with 23. South Africa is next with five, then Australia and Spain with four, followed by Canada’s three titles. Despite this year’s hype, Ireland have yet to register a win!

However, consider that the course is long and that anyone not landing on the short stuff runs the risk of taking another ball from the tee –as the ever present lava presents a more difficult challenge than its stunning aesthetics. This course then is all about the second shots – and long irons, hybrids and chipping and putting.

Ones to watch:

Team Mid-Atlantic (“Go on! Go on! Go on! Go on! Go on!”). Graham McDowell and Rory McIlroy – always an interesting combination of mid-Atlantic drawl – especially when they are together – with Rory clearly the man to watch at the moment and the hype surrounding these best-of-friends is always interesting. With Rory’s classic youthful gung-ho approach and Graeme’s more laid back solid performance – Team Ireland (9/2 at Victor Chandler) will be in the mix come the weekend.

Team Sweden (“Klunk!”) (61/5 at BetDaq). Robert Karllson and Alexander Noren look sweet to me. Norens two wins in 2011 position him high in the Race to Dubai while Karllsons solid Tour performances over the last 22 years and his 11 wins means he is the experienced old timer with a victory (with Henrik Stenson) in this very event in 2008.

Ones to win:

Team South Africa (“Go Boks!”). With two recent major winners both recording a very healthy 2011 season – Schwartzel and Oosthuizen will provide some tough opposition to ensure anyone else lifts the trophy on Sunday. The holders of the two man South African Tour events in 2011 will not only be vying for their position as their Nations number one, but also the number one team position for the Boks. Will there be gold at the end for the Rainbow Nation?

Team USA (“USA! USA USA!”)(9/1 at UniBet, SportingBet and Stan James). You have to love their cheesy spirit, their chants and the nonsense that our dear allies resort to in team golfing competitions. That said, they have Mister consistent in Matt “Kuchie Koo” Kuchar and length and outright bravado in Gary Woodland. Seems like a deadly combination that might just deliver the 24th win for the Yanks to me!