2018 World Cup of Golf to be contested at Melbourne's  Metropolitan G C



 

Melbourne, Australia – The United States PGA TOUR, on behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours, announced today that the 59^th edition of the World Cup of Golf will return to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, with The Metropolitan Golf Club playing host to 28 two-person teams representing their respective countries from November 21-25, 2018.

 

As one of five events co-sanctioned by the International Federation of PGA Tours, the Melbourne World Cup of Golf is a truly global and historic event, which has been played 58 times since 1953 in 25 countries, and is the only event that sees the world’s best come together and compete for their countries, outside of the Olympics.

 

“The World Cup of Golf has been a celebrated and valued tradition in the game for decades, and the International Federation of PGA Tours is proud to see that tradition continue in 2018 with the best players from around the globe convening at The Metropolitan Golf Club,” PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan said. “Golf in the Sandbelt region speaks for itself, and we appreciate The Metropolitan Golf Club opening its doors for this historic team event.”

 

 The 2018 event will continue with the same format from 2016, with the first and third days of competition played as four-ball (best ball) format and the second and final days as foursomes (alternate shot) play.

 

“It is a true thrill to bring this unique, global team-event back to Melbourne and the Sandbelt region,” said Robyn Cooper, Executive Director of the Melbourne World Cup of Golf. “We appreciate the strong cooperation of all involved to ensure Australia’s golf fans would be able to enjoy this spirited team competition in the Sandbelt region. A special thank you goes to Golf Australia and Lagardere for working with us to resolve some scheduling challenges.  The group’s overall combined efforts are certainly in the best interests of golf fans here in Australia.”

 

The Melbourne World Cup of Golf brought significant global star power to the Sandbelt region in 2016, with 17 of the top 50 players in the world on hand, including the likes of Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler, Jimmy Walker, Alex Noren, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Shane Lowry, Byeong Hun An, Russell Knox and more. Players outside the top 50 at the start of the 2016 event that are currently among the top 50 include Jon Rahm (No. 4), Marc Leishman (No. 13) and Jhonattan Vegas (No. 43).

 

The 2018 event will mark the third-consecutive playing of the World Cup of Golf in the Sandbelt region. Danes Søren Kjeldsen and Thorbjørn Olesen captured the 2016 edition at Kingston Heath Golf Club, while Aussies Adam Scott and Jason Day were victorious at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 2013. Following the 2018 Melbourne World Cup of Golf, the Sandbelt region will once again grab the spotlight as the 2019 Presidents Cup is staged at Royal Melbourne for a third time. 

 

“We’re getting it done – making Victoria Australia's home of golf by bringing the best domestic and international tournaments right to our doorstep,” John Eren, Minister for Tourism and Major Events, said.

 

“The flow on effects from these types of events are huge – they give visitors another reason to come to Melbourne and make our economy stronger.”  

 

The 2018 Melbourne World Cup of Golf will mark the sixth time in the tournament’s history that it will be played in Australia, which is the second-most all-time behind the United States (11).

 

The World Cup of Golf in Australia:

Year        Winning Country/Players

1959      Australia (Peter Thomson/Kel Nagle)

1972      Chinese Taipei (Hsieh Min-Nan/Lu Liang-Huan)

1988      United States (Ben Crenshaw/Mark McCumber)

2013      Australia (Jason Day/Adam Scott)

2016      Denmark (Søren Kjeldsen/Thorbjørn Olesen)