2013 World Cup to be staged in Melbourne

Monday, 13 May 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: Australia’s Royal Melbourne Golf Club will host this year’s edition of the World Cup of Golf, which has been played in China since 2007, the tournament’s promoters said on Saturday.

Mission Hills Group, which has hosted the tournament five times in China, said the 57th edition would be held in Melbourne in November to ensure it maintained its global status.

“Mission Hills recognises the need to maintain the tournament’s prestigious global status, and as such we feel that both the tournament and the international golfing community will benefit from the 2013 edition being staged outside China,” Mission Hills Group Vice Chairman Tenniel Chu said in a statement.

“We do, however, remain supportive of the tournament and are committed to hosting the event again when the tournament returns to China.

“Following the recent success of Australian players in international tournaments and the country’s status as a leading international golf destination, Australia will be proud to host this tournament once again and we wish the Royal Melbourne Golf Club every success with this year’s event,” added Chu.

Melbourne has staged the tournament on three occasions, the last being in 1988.

The United States have won the event a record 24 times, including the last edition in 2011 where Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland triumphed at China’s Hainan Island.

Held annually since 1953 apart from two occasions in the 1980s, the World Cup became a biennial event after golf got the nod for Olympic inclusion in 2016.

Teams of two golfers representing their country contest the tournament over two days of foursomes and two days of four-balls.