World Cup format will change to match Olympic format
The Omega Mission Hills World Cup has drawn plenty of notice over the last few days, not all of it favorable. But give the World Cup's organizers credit: they're moving fast to keep the tournament a viable biennial event.
The latest modification for the 2013 World Cup will be to make it the same kind of stroke-play format as the 2016 Olympics, moving away from the existing two-man style. Thus, players will have the opportunity to win both individual and team awards, as they will in Brazil three years later. And the tournament will count in the Official World Golf Rankings, which should help to attract even more players. The tournament will also offer an individual trophy for the first time since 1999, when Tiger Woods won it.
Kenneth Chu, chairman and CEO of Mission Hills Golf Club, noted that he met with head honchos Tim Finchem of the PGA Tour and George O'Grady of the European Tour to discuss and implement the changes.
Chu also assured the world that the World Cup would continue, despite some hints to the contrary and some dissatisfaction from its primary sponsor. "Let me tell you my father had this dream to promote golf and to showcase China golf to the rest of the world and if our partners don't want to do it that's their choice," Chu said. "But I will continue for his legacy and I will say that and you can write that and record that. So I will carry forward what my father has promised to general public of China and to the rest of the world."
Chu added that the tournament will continue to be held at roughly this time every other year.
[Via Exegolf.]
