(Cheshire, England and Daytona Beach, Fla., USA – October 18, 2004) The Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour (LET) and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) announced today that 20 teams have qualified for the Women’s World Cup of Golf, to played at The Links, Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate in George, South Africa, from February 11-13, 2005.
The Tours issued a seven point criteria for qualification and after the close of the LET season and the last domestic full field event on the LPGA Tour, the qualifying nations are as follows:
Qualifying from the Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour:
England, France, Sweden, Finland, Wales, Spain, Italy, Germany, New Zealand and Australia.
Qualifying from the Ladies Professional Golf Association:
Sweden, USA, Mexico, Korea, England, Philippines, Australia, Scotland, Taiwan and Canada.
Sweden, Australia and England met the criteria from both Tours which resulted in the selection of three further teams; South Africa, Japan and Austria.
Each selection committee will now choose their representatives for the event and the final player selections for each team will be determined by December 1, 2004, for the 2005 Women’s World Cup of Golf.
The $1million event, which will become the first-ever truly worldwide team competition co-sanctioned by both Tours, will consist of a three-day, 54-hole competition with a different format on each day: 18 holes of foursomes; 18 holes of four-ball; and 18 holes of stroke-play. The winners will be determined by combining each team’s scores from all three days.
2005 Women’s World Cup of Golf qualification criteria:
1. In order for a country to qualify to be represented, the country must be one of the top 10 countries from each of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour (LET) (collectively the “Tours”) final money list or order of merit as applicable in order of individual standing. The country eligibility will be based on the 2004 final official order of merit on the LET and after the conclusion of the last domestic full field event on the LPGA. If a country is eligible from both Tours, the Tours may at their discretion invite additional teams into the competition. No country shall be represented by more than one (1) team.
2. The team for each country to be represented will be selected by the leading women’s professional golf tour in that country or, if no such appropriate tour exists, by the recognized governing body of golf in the country (“selection committee”). The leading women’s professional golf tour of an eligible country may at their sole discretion delegate the team selection to another recognised governing body of golf in the country subject always to final approval by that tour. For each team, the highest-ranked player from one of the above tours’ final money list or order of merit as applicable must be selected. The selection committee for that country will determine the criteria for the second playing spot. Amateurs may be selected.
3. Each country to be represented will field a team of two players. The host country and, at the discretion of the Tours additional countries, may field a team even if they do not meet the criteria established in paragraph 1 provided that in the opinion of the Tours such country can provide two (2) national players of sufficient competitive status to form a representative team
4. An individual may represent their country if they carry the passport of that country or if they were born in that country. In the event an individual has dual citizenship, she may elect at the time of qualifying which country she will represent; once a player has made such election, this cannot be changed in relation to the tournament in future years unless and until such time that dual citizenship status is removed.
5. If a country is represented on both top-10 lists, the selection committee for that country will determine who will comprise the team for that country. However, the selection committee for that country must choose the highest-ranked player from at least one of the Tours.
6. If after going through the above selection process there are less than 20 teams eligible for the event (by reason of eligible players electing not to play or otherwise), the Tours at their discretion (as provided in paragraph 3) may invite additional teams such that the event may have up to 20 teams.
7. The final player selections for each team will be determined by December 1, 2004, for the 2005 WWCG.
For further information go to:
www.womensworldcupofgolf.com
