The World Cup of Golf is a men's golf tournament contested by teams of two representing their country. Only one team is allowed from each country. The players are selected on the basis of the Official World Golf Ranking , although not all of the first choice players choose to compete. The equivalent event for women was the Women's World Cup of Golf , played from 2005 to 2008.
History
The tournament was founded by Canadian industrialist John Jay Hopkins , who hoped it would promote international goodwill through golf. It began in 1953 as the Canada Cup and changed its name to the World Cup in 1967.[ 1] With Fred Corcoran as the Tournament Director and the International Golf Association behind it (1955–77), the World Cup traveled the globe and grew to be one of golf's most prestigious tournaments throughout the 1960s and 1970s, but interest in the event faded to the point that the event was not held in 1981 or 1986.
The tournament was incorporated into the World Golf Championships series from 2000 to 2006. In 2007 it ceased to be a World Golf Championships event, but continued to be sanctioned by the International Federation of PGA Tours .
From 2007 through 2009 the tournament was held at the Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen , China, receiving the name Mission Hills World Cup . There was no tournament in 2010, it having been announced that the event would change from annual to biennial, held in odd-numbered years, to accommodate the 2016 inclusion of golf at the Olympics .[ 2] The 2011 tournament was at a new venue — Mission Hills Haikou in the Chinese island province of Hainan .[ 3]
The United States has a clear lead in wins, with 24 as of 2016.[ 4]
In 1953, the format was 36 holes of stroke play with the combined score of the two-man team determining the winner. From 1954 to 1999, the format was 72 holes of stroke play. Beginning in 2000, the format became alternating stroke play rounds of bestball (fourball ) and alternate shot (foursomes ).
The 2013 tournament was primarily an individual event with a team component. The 60-player field was selected based on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) with up to two players per country allowed to qualify (four per country if they are within the top 15 of the OWGR). The format returned to 72 holes of stroke play, with the individuals competing for US$7 million of the $8 million total purse. OWGR points were awarded for the first time. The top two-ranked players from each country competed for the team portion, using combined stroke play scores.[ 5] The individual portion was similar to what would be used at the 2016 Summer Olympics , except that England, Scotland, and Wales had teams instead of a single Great Britain team as in the Olympics,[ 6] [ 7] while Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland again played as a single team.[ 7]
In 2016, the format reverted to that used from 2000 to 2011.
From 1955 to 1999, there was also a separate award, the International Trophy , for the individual with the best 72-hole score.
Team winners
Year
Country
Team
Location
Runners-up
ISPS Handa Melbourne World Cup of Golf
2018
Melbourne , Australia
ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf
2016
Denmark
Søren Kjeldsen & Thorbjørn Olesen
Melbourne , Australia
Li Haotong & Wu Ashun Victor Dubuisson & Romain Langasque Rickie Fowler & Jimmy Walker
2013
Australia
Jason Day & Adam Scott
Melbourne , Australia
Matt Kuchar & Kevin Streelman
Omega Mission Hills World Cup[ 8]
2011
United States
Matt Kuchar & Gary Woodland
Haikou , Hainan Island , China
Ian Poulter & Justin Rose Martin Kaymer & Alex Čejka
2009
Italy
Edoardo Molinari & Francesco Molinari
Shenzhen, China
Henrik Stenson & Robert Karlsson [ 9] Rory McIlroy & Graeme McDowell
2008
Sweden
Robert Karlsson & Henrik Stenson
Shenzhen, China
Miguel Ángel Jiménez & Pablo Larrazábal
2007
Scotland
Colin Montgomerie & Marc Warren
Shenzhen, China
Heath Slocum & Boo Weekley
WGC-World Cup
2006
Germany
Bernhard Langer & Marcel Siem
Sandy Lane Resort , Barbados
Colin Montgomerie & Marc Warren
2005
Wales
Stephen Dodd & Bradley Dredge
Algarve , Portugal
Luke Donald & David Howell Niclas Fasth & Henrik Stenson
2004
England
Paul Casey & Luke Donald
Seville, Spain
Sergio García & Miguel Ángel Jiménez
2003
South Africa
Trevor Immelman & Rory Sabbatini
Kiawah Island, South Carolina , United States
Paul Casey & Justin Rose
2002
Japan
Toshimitsu Izawa & Shigeki Maruyama
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Phil Mickelson & David Toms
2001
South Africa
Ernie Els & Retief Goosen
Gotemba, Japan
Thomas Bjørn & Søren Hansen Michael Campbell & David Smail David Duval & Tiger Woods
2000
United States
David Duval & Tiger Woods
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Eduardo Romero and Ángel Cabrera
World Cup of Golf
1999
United States
Mark O'Meara & Tiger Woods
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Santiago Luna & Miguel Ángel Martín
1998
England
David Carter & Nick Faldo
Auckland, New Zealand
Massimo Florioli & Costantino Rocca
1997
Ireland
Pádraig Harrington & Paul McGinley
Kiawah Island, South Carolina , United States
Colin Montgomerie & Raymond Russell
1996
South Africa
Ernie Els & Wayne Westner
Cape Town, South Africa
Steve Jones & Tom Lehman
1995
United States
Fred Couples & Davis Love III
Shenzhen, China
Robert Allenby & Steve Elkington
1994
United States
Fred Couples & Davis Love III
Dorado, Puerto Rico
Tony Johnstone & Mark McNulty
1993
United States
Fred Couples & Davis Love III
Orlando, Florida , United States
Mark McNulty & Nick Price
World Cup
1992
United States
Fred Couples & Davis Love III
Madrid, Spain
Anders Forsbrand & Per-Ulrik Johansson
1991
Sweden
Anders Forsbrand & Per-Ulrik Johansson
Rome, Italy
Phillip Price & Ian Woosnam
1990
Germany
Torsten Giedeon & Bernhard Langer
Orlando, Florida , United States
Richard Boxall & Mark James David Feherty & Ronan Rafferty
1989
Australia
Peter Fowler & Wayne Grady
Marbella, Spain
José Maria Cañizares & José María Olazábal
1988
United States
Ben Crenshaw & Mark McCumber
Melbourne , Australia
Masashi Ozaki & Tateo Ozaki
1987
Wales
David Llewellyn & Ian Woosnam
Maui, Hawaii , United States
Sandy Lyle & Sam Torrance
1986
No tournament
1985
Canada
Dave Barr & Dan Halldorson
La Quinta, California , United States
Howard Clark & Paul Way
1984
Spain
José Maria Cañizares & José Rivero
Rome, Italy
Gordon Brand, Jnr & Sam Torrance Hsieh Min-Nan & Chen Tze-Chung
1983
United States
Rex Caldwell & John Cook
Jakarta, Indonesia
Terry Gale & Wayne Grady Jerry Anderson & Dave Barr
1982
Spain
José Maria Cañizares & Manuel Piñero
Acapulco, Mexico
Bobby Clampett & Bob Gilder
1981
No tournament
1980
Canada
Dan Halldorson & Jim Nelford
Bogotá , Colombia
Sandy Lyle & Steve Martin
1979
United States
Hale Irwin & John Mahaffey
Athens , Greece
Sandy Lyle & Ken Brown
1978
United States
John Mahaffey & Andy North
Hanalei, Hawaii , United States
Wayne Grady & Greg Norman
1977
Spain
Seve Ballesteros & Antonio Garrido
Manila, Philippines
Ben Arda & Rudy Lavares
1976
Spain
Seve Ballesteros & Manuel Piñero
Palm Springs, California , United States
Jerry Pate & Dave Stockton
1975
United States
Lou Graham & Johnny Miller
Bangkok, Thailand
Hsieh Min-Nan & Kuo Chie-Hsiung
1974
South Africa
Bobby Cole & Dale Hayes
Caracas , Venezuela
Isao Aoki & Masashi Ozaki
1973
United States
Johnny Miller & Jack Nicklaus
Marbella, Spain
Hugh Baiocchi & Gary Player
1972
Republic of China
Hsieh Min-Nan & Lu Liang-Huan
Melbourne, Australia
Takaaki Kono & Takashi Murakami
1971
United States
Jack Nicklaus & Lee Trevino
Palm Beach, Florida , United States
Harold Henning & Gary Player
1970
Australia
Bruce Devlin & David Graham
Buenos Aires , Argentina
Roberto De Vicenzo & Vicente Fernández
1969
United States
Orville Moody & Lee Trevino
Singapore
Takaaki Kono & Haruo Yasuda
1968
Canada
Al Balding & George Knudson
Rome , Italy
Julius Boros & Lee Trevino
1967
United States
Jack Nicklaus & Arnold Palmer
Mexico City , Mexico
Bob Charles & Walter Godfrey
Canada Cup
1966
United States
Jack Nicklaus & Arnold Palmer
Tokyo , Japan
Harold Henning & Gary Player
1965
South Africa
Harold Henning & Gary Player
Madrid , Spain
Ángel Miguel & Ramón Sota
1964
United States
Jack Nicklaus & Arnold Palmer
Maui, Hawaii , United States
Roberto De Vicenzo & Leopoldo Ruiz
1963
United States
Jack Nicklaus & Arnold Palmer
Paris, France
Sebastián Miguel & Ramón Sota
1962
United States
Arnold Palmer & Sam Snead
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Fidel de Luca & Roberto De Vicenzo
1961
United States
Jimmy Demaret & Sam Snead
Dorado, Puerto Rico
Kel Nagle & Peter Thomson
1960
United States
Arnold Palmer & Sam Snead
Portmarnock, Dublin, Ireland
Bernard Hunt & Harry Weetman
1959
Australia
Kel Nagle & Peter Thomson
Melbourne, Australia
Cary Middlecoff & Sam Snead
1958
Ireland
Harry Bradshaw & Christy O'Connor Snr
Mexico City , Mexico
Ángel Miguel & Sebastián Miguel
1957
Japan
Torakichi Nakamura & Koichi Ono
Tokyo, Japan
Jimmy Demaret & Sam Snead
1956
United States
Ben Hogan & Sam Snead
Wentworth , Surrey , England
Bobby Locke & Gary Player
1955
United States
Ed Furgol & Chick Harbert
Washington, DC , United States
Kel Nagle & Peter Thomson
1954
Australia
Kel Nagle & Peter Thomson
Montreal, Canada
Antonio Cerdá & Roberto de Vicenzo
1953
Argentina
Antonio Cerdá & Roberto De Vicenzo
Montreal, Canada
Bill Kerr & Stan Leonard
Individual winners
Year
Winner
Country
Margin of victory
Runner(s)-up
2016: No individual tournament
2013
Jason Day
Australia
2 strokes
Thomas Bjørn
2000–2011: No individual tournament
1999
Tiger Woods
United States
9 strokes
Frank Nobilo
1998
Scott Verplank
United States
1 stroke
Nick Faldo , Costantino Rocca
1997
Colin Montgomerie
Scotland
2 strokes
Alex Čejka
1996
Ernie Els
South Africa
3 strokes
Wayne Westner
1995
Davis Love III
United States
Playoff
Hisayuki Sasaki
1994
Fred Couples
United States
5 strokes
Costantino Rocca
1993
Bernhard Langer
Germany
3 strokes
Fred Couples
1992
Brett Ogle
Australia
Playoff
Ian Woosnam
1991
Ian Woosnam
Wales
3 strokes
Bernhard Langer
1990
Payne Stewart
United States
2 strokes
Anders Sørensen
1989
Peter Fowler
Australia
1 stroke
José María Cañizares , Anders Sørensen
1988
Ben Crenshaw
United States
1 stroke
Tateo Ozaki
1987
Ian Woosnam
Wales
5 strokes
Sandy Lyle
1986: No tournament
1985
Howard Clark
England
5 strokes
Christy O'Connor Jnr
1984
José María Cañizares
Spain
2 strokes
Gordon Brand, Jnr
1983
Dave Barr
Canada
3 strokes
Rex Caldwell
1982
Manuel Piñero
Spain
1 stroke
José María Cañizares , Bob Gilder
1981: No tournament
1980
Sandy Lyle
Scotland
1 stroke
Bernhard Langer
1979
Hale Irwin
United States
2 strokes
Bernhard Langer , Sandy Lyle
1978
John Mahaffey
United States
2 strokes
Andy North
1977
Gary Player
South Africa
3 strokes
Hubert Green , Rudy Lavares
1976
Ernesto Acosta
Mexico
3 strokes
Brian Barnes , Manuel Piñero
1975
Johnny Miller
United States
2 strokes
Ben Arda , Hsieh Min-Nan , Bob Shearer
1974
Bobby Cole
South Africa
5 strokes
Masashi Ozaki
1973
Johnny Miller
United States
3 strokes
Gary Player
1972
Hsieh Min-Nan
Taiwan
2 strokes
Takaaki Kono
1971
Jack Nicklaus
United States
7 strokes
Gary Player
1970
Roberto De Vicenzo
Argentina
1 stroke
David Graham
1969
Lee Trevino
United States
1 stroke
Roberto De Vicenzo
1968
Al Balding
Canada
5 strokes
Roberto Bernardini
1967
Arnold Palmer
United States
5 strokes
Bob Charles , Jack Nicklaus
1966
George Knudson
Canada
Playoff
Hideyo Sugimoto
1965
Gary Player
South Africa
3 strokes
Jack Nicklaus
1964
Jack Nicklaus
United States
2 strokes
Arnold Palmer
1963
Jack Nicklaus
United States
5 strokes
Sebastián Miguel , Gary Player
1962
Roberto De Vicenzo
Argentina
2 strokes
Peter Alliss , Arnold Palmer
1961
Sam Snead
United States
8 strokes
Peter Thomson
1960
Flory Van Donck
Belgium
2 strokes
Sam Snead
1959
Stan Leonard
Canada
Playoff
Peter Thomson
1958
Ángel Miguel
Spain
Playoff
Harry Bradshaw
1957
Torakichi Nakamura
Japan
7 strokes
Gary Player , Sam Snead , Dave Thomas
1956
Ben Hogan
United States
5 strokes
Roberto De Vicenzo
1955
Ed Furgol
United States
Playoff
Peter Thomson
1953–54: No individual award
Multiple winners
Seve Ballesteros won the title twice as part of the Spanish team.
Teammates
As part of team
6 times: Jack Nicklaus , Arnold Palmer
4 times: Fred Couples , Davis Love III , Sam Snead
2 times: Seve Ballesteros , José Maria Cañizares , Ernie Els , Dan Halldorson , Bernhard Langer , John Mahaffey , Johnny Miller , Kel Nagle , Manuel Piñero , Peter Thomson , Lee Trevino , Tiger Woods
As individual (International Trophy)
References
External links
Team Individual Winter sports