Ahead of the 58th staging of the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf, europeantour.com takes a look at three teams to keep a close eye on when play gets underway on Thursday.
France – Victor Dubuisson and Romain Langasque
An in-form Victor Dubuisson is always worth the admission fee and that’s exactly what Australian fans will be getting this week when the two-time European Tour winner swaps Dubai for the sandbelt region of Melbourne. After firing himself into contention at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai with a third round 64, Dubuisson confirmed to onlookers that he’s in the kind of rhythm that saw him twice win the prestigious Turkish Airlines Open.
Dubuisson, whose tie for fourth in Dubai followed a share of third in South Africa, will partner recent Challenge Tour graduate and 2015 Amateur Champion Romain Langasque. The highly-rated 21 year old only turned professional after a promising showing at the 2016 Masters Tournament and secured his first European Tour top ten at the Omega European Masters five months later. Both have the finesse to impress the home crowds and could become France’s first world champions.
Denmark – Søren Kjeldsen and Thorbjørn Olesen
If Thorbjørn Olesen’s performance during his three-stroke victory at the Turkish Airlines Open three weeks ago is anything to go by, the Danes could be a force to be reckoned with this week. Olesen’s fourth European Tour success in Antalya seemed inevitable following a superb 54-hole total of 195, including a second round 62. While Olesen couldn’t match his Turkish delight in the remaining Final Series events of the year, playing partner Søren Kjeldsen certainly stepped up to the plate in style.
The experienced 41 year old finished in a share of 16th at the Nedbank Golf Challenge before finishing tied for fourth at Jumeirah Golf Estates' Earth Course. Kjeldsen’s seventh top ten of the season in Dubai showcased his ability to still compete with the younger players on tour, finishing just three places behind Matthew Fitzpatrick, 19 years his junior. The Danish duo also represented their country at the 2016 Olympic Men’s Golf Competition.
Wales - Bradley Dredge and Stuart Manley
There’s nothing like previous success to prepare you for the week to come, which bodes well for the 2005 champion Bradley Dredge and his playing partner Stuart Manley. Playing in the company of Stephen Dodd, Dredge helped Wales to their first World Cup victory 11 years ago in Portugal. Now one of the most consistent performers on tour, Dredge will hope history repeats itself as he aims to cap off a year that included runner-up finishes in Ireland and Denmark.
It seems certain that Dredge’s team-mate Manley will also be high on confidence after a successful week at the Final Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School. The 37 year old took one of 30 European Tour cards at PGA Catalunya Resort last week and could play with the freedom needed to produce winning golf when the pair begin their pursuit of glory.
