USA wins Mission Hills World Cup

Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland of the USA have won the Omega Mission Hills World Cup on Hainan Island in China by two shots from England and Germany.

Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland

Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland of the USA have won the Omega Mission Hills World Cup on Hainan Island in China by two shots from England and Germany.

The US pairing secured their nation's 24th victory in the tournament but the first since David Duval and Tiger Woods triumphed in 2000.

Kuchar and Woodland began the final day foursomes two shots back of the Irish duo, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell. But the last two US Open champions struggled during the final round and slipped back to tied fourth place with a closing 72.

The Americans played a solid final round of 67 to finish on an excellent four-round total of 24-under-par.

"It feels great," said Woodland. "It's a tough format and both of us picked the other up when the other got in trouble. It was a good day."

With the Irish falling away it was Germany and England who finished closest to the Americans. The English pairing of Ian Poulter and Justin Rose completed the round of the day, a 63, to race up the leaderboard and finish in a tie for second. Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka of Germany looked the likeliest to threaten the USA, but they couldn't find the necessary birdies to mount a real challenge. The pair managed a bogey-free final round but could only muster three birdies for a closing 69.

First round leaders Australia finished in a tie for fourth with Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands.

Omega Mission Hills World Cup Mission Hills Resort, China Nov 24-27, purse $7,500,000, par 72

1   USA         64   70   63   67   264 T2   England      66   69   68   63   266    T2   Germany       65   71   61   69   266    T4   Australia      61   70   67   69   267    T4   Netherlands   64   71   64   68   267    T4   Ireland      63   68   64   72   267    T4   Scotland      63   69   69   66   267    8   Wales         67   69   65   67   268    T9   Spain       65   69   68   67   269 T9   Korea         66   71   64   68   269   

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?