The 2011 Omega Mission Hills World Cup was a golf tournament that took place 24–27 November on the Blackstone course[1] at Mission Hills Haikou in Hainan, China. It was the 56th World Cup, and the first since 2009, when the tournament switched to being staged biennially. 28 countries competed as two player teams. The purse was increased from $5.5 million in 2009 to $7.5 million in 2011.[2] The event was won by the United States, represented by Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland with a score of 264, 24 under par.[3][4][5][6][7]
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 24–27 November |
| Location | Haikou, Hainan Island, China |
| Course(s) | Mission Hills Haikou, Blackstone course |
| Format | 72 holes stroke play best ball & alternate shot |
| Statistics | |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,441 yards (6,804 m) |
| Field | 28 two-man teams |
| Cut | None |
| Prize fund | US$7.5 million |
| Winner's share | US$2.4 million |
| Champion | |
 United StatesMatt Kuchar & Gary Woodland | |
| 264 (−24) | |
| Location map | |
  Mission Hills Location in East Asia  Mission Hills Location in Hainan | |
Qualification and format edit
The leading 18 available players from different countries in the Official World Golf Ranking qualified automatically on 18 July. These 18 players then selected a player from their country to compete with them. The person they picked had to be ranked within the top 100 on the Official World Golf Ranking as of 1 September. If there was no other player from that country within the top 100 then the next highest ranked player would be their partner. If there was no other available player from that country within the top 500, then the exempt player could choose whoever he wanted as long as they are a professional from the same country.[8] A further nine countries qualified via three qualifying stages, held in Malaysia,[9] Estonia[10] and Venezuela.[11] The final team was the host nation, China.
The 18 qualifying players (together with their country and World Ranking on 18 July) were Martin Kaymer (Germany, ranked 3), Rory McIlroy (Ireland, 4), Matt Kuchar (USA, 8), Charl Schwartzel (South Africa, 12), Ian Poulter (England, 16), Robert Karlsson (Sweden, 19), Francesco Molinari (Italy, 23), Álvaro Quirós (Spain, 24), Martin Laird (Scotland, 26), Anders Hansen (Denmark, 41), Raphaël Jacquelin (France, 69), Yuta Ikeda (Japan, 70), Brendan Jones (Australia, 73), Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium, 75), Camilo Villegas (Colombia, 78), Jamie Donaldson (Wales, 98), Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand, 101) and Brendon de Jonge (Zimbabwe, 106). South Korea, Fiji and Argentina would have qualified automatically had their leading players chosen to play.[12]
The event was a 72-hole stroke play team event with each team consisting of two players. The first and third days were fourball play and the second and final days were foursomes play.[2]
Teams edit
The table below lists the teams together with their World Ranking (if any) at the time of the tournament.[13]
The tournament included three pairs of brothers: the Villegas brothers representing Colombia, the Molinari brothers representing Italy and the Santos brothers representing Portugal.[14]
Result edit
Australia led after the first round with a better-ball score of 61. Ireland and Scotland were in joint second place with 63, followed by The Netherlands and United States with 64.
After the second round foursomes, Australia and Ireland were joint leaders at 131. Scotland were third at 132, followed by Spain, New Zealand and United States at 134.
Ireland led by two shots at the end of the third day with a total of 195 after a better-ball score of 64. Germany, South Africa and United States were tied for second at 197 with Australia fifth at 198. Germany and South Africa had the best scores of the day with 61.
The United States had a last round foursome score of 67 to win by two shots over England and Germany. Ireland had a last round 72 to drop to a tie for fourth place.
| Place | Country | Score | To par | Money (US$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States |
64-70-63-67=264 | −24 | 2,400,000 |
| T2 |  England |
66-69-68-63=266 | −22 | 1,025,000 |
 Germany |
65-71-61-69=266 | |||
| T4 |  Australia |
61-70-67-69=267 | −21 | 332,500 |
 Netherlands |
64-71-64-68=267 | |||
 Ireland |
63-68-64-72=267 | |||
 Scotland |
63-69-69-66=267 | |||
| 8 |  Wales |
67-69-65-67=268 | −20 | 200,000 |
| T9 |  Spain |
65-69-68-67=269 | −19 | 135,000 |
 South Korea |
66-71-64-68=269 | |||
| 11 |  Zimbabwe |
66-70-67-67=270 | −18 | 105,000 |
| 12 |  South Africa |
68-68-61-74=271 | −17 | 96,000 |
| T13 |  Denmark |
65-72-68-67=272 | −16 | 81,000 |
 France |
66-70-68-68=272 | |||
 Mexico |
66-69-65-72=272 | |||
| 16 |  New Zealand |
66-68-68-71=273 | −15 | 74,000 |
| 17 |  Italy |
67-69-64-74=274 | −14 | 72,000 |
| T18 |  China |
68-68-68-71=275 | −13 | 69,000 |
 Thailand |
66-70-68-71=275 | |||
| T20 |  Austria |
69-72-65-70=276 | −12 | 64,000 |
 Japan |
66-70-66-74=276 | |||
 Portugal |
70-68-66-72=276 | |||
| T23 |  Brazil |
68-71-67-72=278 | −10 | 59,000 |
 Colombia |
65-76-64-73=278 | |||
| 25 |  Sweden |
66-74-66-73=279 | −9 | 56,000 |
| 26 |  Singapore |
68-75-65-74=282 | −6 | 54,000 |
| 27 |  Guatemala |
75-74-66-70=285 | −3 | 52,000 |
| 28 |  Belgium |
67-77-68-84=296 | +8 | 50,000 |
Notes edit
- ^ This was a combined Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland team. They competed under the Republic of Ireland flag although both golfers were from Northern Ireland.
References edit
- ^ "The 56th World Cup of Golf – About the course". Archived from the original on 25 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ a b "World Cup Becomes Biennial". Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^ "The 56th World Cup of Golf – Kuchar, Woodland complete U.S. rally at OMEGA World Cup". Archived from the original on 3 December 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
- ^ "U.S. team wins golf's World Cup". ESPN. Associated Press. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ^ "US team of Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland win Golf World Cup". Daily Telegraph. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ^ "Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland win World Cup for USA at Mission Hills". Guardian. Press Association. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ^ "United States duo Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland win World Cup". BBC Sport. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ^ "The 56th World Cup of Golf – Qualification Process". Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ "The 56th World Cup of Golf – Singapore Make the Grade at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup Asian Qualifying". Archived from the original on 18 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "The 56th World Cup of Golf – Austria, The Netherlands and Portugal Qualify for the Omega Mission Hills World Cup". Archived from the original on 18 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "Tour de las Americas – Brazil, Mexico & Guatemala qualify to the World Cup". Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "Official World Golf Ranking 2011 Week 29" (PDF). 17 July 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "Official World Golf Ranking 2011 Week 47" (PDF). 20 November 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2011.
- ^ "The 56th World Cup of Golf – Brothers in arms at OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup". Archived from the original on 30 October 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
- ^ "World Cup 2011". Asian Tour. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
- ^ "US team of Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland win Golf World Cup". The Telegraph. 27 November 2011.