Philadelphia, PA – PGA TOUR - OMEGA MISSION HILLS WORLD CUP Mission Hills Golf Club, Hainan Island, China - Two-man teams representing several countries highlight the Thanksgiving week of golf.
The format features four balls on Thursday and Saturday and foursomes on Friday and Sunday.
The last World Cup was staged two years ago and Edoardo and Francesco Molinari secured the title for Italy. They won by a single stroke over the Irish pair of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell.
The Molinaris shot a 68 on Sunday to come from behind and win. The Irish boys led after the first three rounds, but the Molinaris gave Italy its first win in this event.
The U.S. has dominated this championship with 23 wins. The last American team to win was Tiger Woods and David Duval in 2000.
This year, the U.S. will be represented by Matt Kuchar, fresh of being part of the winning American Presidents Cup team, and long-hitting Gary Woodland.
The Molinaris are back, as are McIlroy and McDowell, who have to be considered something of the favorites. Not only were they second two years ago, but both are major champions now and McIlroy is the highest-rated player in the field at No. 2.
Several high-ranked players are in the field this week. World No. 4 Martin Kaymer teams with Alex Cejka for Germany. Justin Rose and Ian Poulter represent England and South Africa features Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and 2010 British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen.
Three-time winner on the European Tour this year, Thomas Bjorn, withdrew on Saturday due to a neck injury. He was replaced on the Denmark team by Thorbjorn Olesen, who will team with Anders Hansen.
This isn't the only European Tour event this week with the South African Open Championship on tap.
Coverage for the World Cup will be live on Golf Channel.
Next week is the last full-field event on the year on the European Tour, the Hong Kong Open. Mr. Poulter won last year's championship.
SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Serengeti Golf Club, Ekurhuleni, South Africa - The two best South African players of this era will duke it out for their national championship this week.
It's a familiar situation for the two.
Ernie Els and Retief Goosen combined for five wins, although Goosen has only one since the event became part of the European Tour schedule.
Goosen birdied the last two holes to tip Els in 2006, while Els withstood a furious comeback from Goosen to win the title last year.
Els, whose win almost a year ago counted on this year's European Tour schedule, has five wins total at his national championship.
Both Els and Goosen were part of the unsuccessful International Presidents Cup last week. Goosen went a respectable 3-2, while Els struggled to a 1-4 mark at Royal Melbourne.
Two of South Africa's brightest stars won't be on hand. This year's Masters winner Charl Schwartzel and former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen are representing South Africa at the World Cup of Golf.
Also in the field is last week's Alfred Dunhill Championship winner Garth Mulroy.
This year marks the first time the South African Open Championship will head to Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate. Jack Nicklaus designed the venue and it was opened in 2009.
Golf Channel has the action.
Next up is the Hong Kong Open, but the following week is the season-ending Dubai World Championship, which was won by Robert Karlsson.
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