Golf fans enjoy rooting for their country in the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, World Cup, Walker Cup, and Solheim Cup, now they can add the LPGA’s International Crown to team competition.
The International Crown was developed as a multi-nation competition featuring the best woman golfers from eight countries around the world. It is a preview of the Olympics, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
The eight nations qualified last November based on their top four women golfers’ status in the Rolex Rankings.
The eight teams were seeded and divided into two separate groups of four teams each based on their cumulative Rolex Ranking.
Pool A includes, the U.S. (32), Thailand (230), Spain (239) and Chinese Taipei (357).
Pool B teams are, Korea (33), Japan (131), Sweden (319) and Australia (323).
Each team will play two four-ball matches versus the other three teams within their pool to qualify for the singles to be held on Sunday, July 27.
In addition, one wild-card team will earn a spot in the singles.
Two points are awarded for each win with one point awarded for a match that ends in a tie. Every match counts as all points are cumulative throughout the week and the winner will be decided after the singles on Sunday.
The total purse for the International Crown is $1.6 million with $400,000 going to the winning team.
Some top names are missing from the action this week most notably, world No. 2 Lydia Ko, U.S. Women’s Open Champion, Michelle Wie and No. 4 ranked Suzann Pettersen.
Ko from New Zealand and Pettersen from Norway do not have three other women from their country ranked high enough in the world ranking to earn a spot in the International Crown.
Wie was ranked outside the Top 10 and behind Creamer and Kerr when the teams were set, but is one of the hottest players in the world right now.
Mainland China did not qualify for the International Crown, which left Shanshan Feng as the only other woman currently ranked in the Top 10 of the Rolex Rankings, without a spot in the elite field.
Three of the four women on Team USA, Lewis (1), Thompson (4) and Kerr (10) are currently ranked in the Top 10. Only Paula Creamer (12) lies outside the Top 10.
The matches are being played at Caves Valley Golf Club outside of Baltimore, Maryland and will air on the Golf Channel, Thursday and Friday, July 24-25, 11:30 AM-3:30 PM ET both days.
Weekend coverage is also on the Golf Channel, July 26-27, 3:00-7:00 PM ET.
On paper Team USA and Korea have the advantage with most of their players ranked at the top of the Rolex Ranking, but as we have seen in recent Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup matches the best team on paper does not always win.
It should be an exciting event with plenty of big names and national pride to go around.