The 2018 ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf format is similar to the competition's prior years, with the two-man competition starting at Metropolitan Golf Club near Melbourne, Australia.
The World Cup of Golf field is 56 players as 28 teams of two. The highest-ranked available (really, willing) players from the top 28 countries in the world based on Official World Golf Ranking then gets to pick their partner for the competition. That partner has to be in the top 500 of the OWGR when they're selected, unless a top-ranked player has less than five total potential partners inside the top 500, which will then extend out to give the player five potential options.
The World Cup of Golf format is a 72-hole event. The first and third rounds will be played as best ball (fourballs) at Metropolitan Golf Club. The second and final rounds will play under alternate shot (foursomes) rules. There is no cut. A sudden-death playoff to settle any ties after 72 holes will be played.
The players on the winning team will split the top prize from the $7 million purse, but there are no FedEx Cup points or PGA Tour exemptions for the winners. There have been years with an individual competition, but there is not one in 2018.
The World Cup of Golf has been played since 1953, staged in more than two dozen countries, with the likes of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and other top stars having been on winning teams.
