Share

Day heads Australia World Cup defence

Sydney - World No 1 Jason Day will team up with Australia's only Masters champion Adam Scott to defend their World Cup of Golf crown in November, organisers said on Tuesday.

The pair won the team title when it was last played in 2013 and Day also took out the individual competition.

He has since recorded nine PGA Tour victories including two World Golf Championship wins and his first major championship victory at the 2015 US PGA Championship.

"The victory at the 2013 World Cup of Golf was a kick-start to a phenomenal stretch of golf for me," Day said.

"I really can't imagine a better scenario than to represent Australia in our home country, with one of my good mates at Kingston Heath, one of my all-time favourite courses."

World No 6 Bubba Watson will lead the US charge, but the two-time Masters champion has yet to pick his partner.

"I've been wanting to make the World Cup of Golf team for a while," Watson said.

"I love the team format, it is different to other events that we play and I know it will be a great experience."

England's Danny Willett, who won his first major at the Masters this year, teams up with Lee Westwood, one of the men he beat by three strokes at Augusta.

"I was at Royal Melbourne in 2013, and although I didn't play as well as I would've liked, it was a cracking course and I've heard Kingston Heath is just as good," Willett said.

He paid tribute to Westwood's career saying: "He's played in nine Ryder Cups and has unbelievable experience of foursomes and fourballs, so I couldn't have picked a better partner."

In a return to the tournament's format before 2013, 28 two-man teams will represent their countries at the Melbourne club on November 23-27 for the 58th playing of the World Cup.

Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, who stands at 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking, will play for Japan. He has yet to decided on a partner.

The highest-ranked players have committed to the World Cup and have until August 26 to choose a playing partner.

Other contenders include Ireland's Shane Lowry, Korea's An Byeong-Hun and Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee. Victor Dubuisson will lead France and Francesco Molinari is in for Italy.

The 2016 tournament reverts to a 72-hole, stroke play, two-man team event. The first and third days will be foursomes (alternate shot) and the second and final days are fourball play.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1272 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
30% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2241 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE