World Champions Cup — Match Play For The Old Guys

As if the Champions Tour was getting huge traction and enormous interest, well, there’s more old-guy golf in the works.

Intersport has put together something called the World Champions Cup — a match play format for senior stars from the United States, Europe and well, a team from the rest of the world.

Jim Furyk, Darren Clark and Ernie Els will be the playing captains for the U.S., Europe and The Rest Of The World, respectively.

It will be scheduled in the fall of 2022 at a yet-to-be-named site in the United States.

The competition will be staged over three days with twice-a-day nine-hole matches in some sort of round-robin format with team and singles play.

“We are excited to add this global event to the golf calendar starting in 2022 and are appreciative of Intersport’s passion to begin a new world-wide golf tradition,” said Miller Brady, President of PGA TOUR Champions. “The World Champions Cup will give golf fans the opportunity to see the game’s greatest players come together in a team format on the world’s biggest stage. International team events are some of the most significant competitions in our game and it will be fun to see Ernie, Jim and Darren, along with their teammates, compete for the inaugural World Champions Cup.”

Geez, can’t wait for that.

Michelle Wie West Un-Retires For Kia Classic:

Is Michelle Wie West retired or not?  That’s a big question but fact is she will be playing at the next LPGA Tour stop — the Kia Classic in Carlsbad, California, next week.

It should be a good field as its their last chance to get ready for the season’s first major — the ANA Inspiration on April 1.

Korn Ferry Tour Heads To Lafayette, Louisiana:

After a few weeks off, the Korn Ferry Tour is finally back in action in Cajun Country — Lafayette, Louisiana — for the Chitimacha Louisiana Open.

Interesting history to the event.  The Chitimacha tribe reservation is just down the highway from Le Triomphe Country Club, host course.  The tribe went from rags to riches when it got into the gaming business with a small casino, around 35,000 square feet that has grown to more than 300,000 square feet.  Back then, the PGA Tour was hesitant to allow the tribe to be a sponsor due to the gaming operation.  Then tournament Herb Schilling basically told the tour that if they didn’t allow the Chitimacha tribe to sponsor the event, the Tour might hear from another tribe — “The Sue” as Schilling put it.

Long story short, the event has flourished with the tribe as the sponsor and today the PGA Tour is up to its proverbial neck in gambling.

By the way, Vince Covello was the winner of the last Louisiana Open.

European Tour in Kenya:

Action on the European Tour continues on the continent of Africa as the lads head to Nairobi for the Magical Kenya Open.

Not sure what makes it magical but they’ll be teeing it up at the Karen Country Club.