The 58th edition of the World Cup of Golf will be played at Kingston Heath Golf Club, with the format returning to team play (two-man teams) from 28 different countries squaring off from November 21 to 27 in Melbourne, it was announced on Thursday.
One of the most historic global events in the game, the World Cup of Golf has been played 57 times in 25 countries and will carry an $8 million purse with the first-place team splitting $2.56 million, according to an Asian Tour release.
The event boasts an impressive and prestigious list of winners that includes the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Davis Love III, Fred Couples, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Arnold Palmer, Bernhard Langer, Sam Snead, Peter Thomson, Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Jason Day, among many others.
"The World Cup of Golf has a long and storied history as one of the true international events in our sport," said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem. "On behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours, we are thrilled that a course with the reputation and standing such as Kingston Heath will serve as the tournament's host venue in 2016."
Acting Minister for Tourism and Major Events for the State of Victoria, Philip Dalidakis said: "We are thrilled to welcome the World Cup of Golf back to Melbourne's magnificent Sandbelt. It's another great addition to our outstanding major events calendar, which already contributes so much to Victoria's economy. We look forward to welcoming the world's best golfers and fans from around the globe to Melbourne in November."
International Golf Association chairman Jon Linen said: "The World Cup of Golf was started back in 1953 for the Goodwill of the sport. It has become an iconic international event, carrying the torch for golf on a global scale.
"The event has had a long history of being contested in Melbourne, Australia, as the world's best players rave about the courses, the atmosphere and the great fans in the Sandbelt region."
The 2016 World Cup of Golf will mark the fifth time in the tournament's history that it will be played in Australia and the first at any course other than Royal Melbourne.
The 2016 tournament will return to a 72-hole, stroke play, two-man team event format. The first and third days of competition will be the foursomes (alternate shot) format and the second and final days are fourball (best ball) play.
The top 28 available players of different countries from the Official World Golf Ranking as of August 1 will choose their teammates for the competition.
"It's great that the World Cup of Golf is going to Kingston Heath," said defending champion and world No.2 Jason Day said.
"The course has tremendous tradition and it is one of the reasons that Melbourne's Sandbelt is considered home to several of the world's great golf courses."
