Some of the DP World Tour’s most exciting talents will go head-to-head at the National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort when Continental Europe defend their Team Cup trophy against Great Britain & Ireland from January 10-12, 2025.
It will be the perfect way to kick off the New Year’s action and a chance for Team Europe to test their match play skills ahead of the Ryder Cup, which will be hosted at Bethpage Black, Farmingdale, New York, later in the year (September 23-28).
Match play golf calls upon attributes of teamwork that the usual stroke play tournaments of the DP World Tour and PGA Tour in the US do not put to the test.
Crucially, however, while the Team Cup is viewed as a warm-up event for the Ryder Cup, there is one significant difference as every player is involved in each session, making it the ultimate team test.
This year’s match at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort will see Italy’s Franceso Molinari captain Continental Europe against a Justin Rose-led Great Britain & Ireland, with both men knowing all about the unique pressures of match play golf, which pairs up players for the first two days before the final-day singles against each other.
David Cannon
Molinari said: “European players have traditionally loved match play golf and we have seen fantastic displays of camaraderie between them in recent years.
“It’s all about pulling together and realising that you’re all competing as a single team with one aim – to beat the opposition. Successful match play teams have no room for egos and, even if you’re not involved at the time, you want to see your teammates succeed on the course.”
Match play pitches pair against pair and player against player (singles) in a way that stroke play golf does not – even if you’re having a really poor round, as long as you beat your rival(s), your point towards the team’s final tally is just as important as if you’re shooting in the low 60s.
At the Team Cup, teams will compete in match play across one session of fourballs on the Friday, two sessions of foursomes on the Saturday, and one session of singles on the Sunday, with every player taking part in all four of the sessions. Each match will be worth one point, with the team crossing the 12½ point mark being crowned winners.
Last time out, in the event formerly known as the Hero Cup, Molinari’s Continental Europe defeated Dubai resident’s Tommy Fleetwood by 14½ -10½.
Abu Dhabi Sports Council are returning as an Official Partner of the event, reaffirming their commitment to golf in the region in addition to their support of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, held at Yas Links on November 7-10.
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