Michael Hoey
Omega Sponsors the World Cup Qualifier in Aruba; Nineteen nations battle it out in Aruba qualifier
The Tierra del Sol Golf Club in Aruba, Dutch Caribbean, is set for the arrival of The Omega Mission Hills World Cup Aruba Qualifier from September 27 – 30. A total of 19 nations will battle it out for the five qualifying places available and the chance to take part in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China from November 22-25
The line-up sees a number of Latin American and Caribbean teams including Paraguay, Mexico and Brazil along with Italy, Ireland and the Czech Republic from Europe. With four PGA victories to his name Carlos Franco will compete in Aruba, representing Paraguay in the World Cup for the fourth time in his career. Other favourites include Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari. Former US Amateur champion Edoardo has made an exceptional start to the 2007 Challenge Tour Season, winning at both the Club Colombia Masters and the Tusker Kenya Cup within the space of five weeks. Meanwhile 2006 saw younger brother Francesco win the Telecom Italian Open on home soil in Milan.
“I’ve played in a lot of European Tour events and other big golf tournaments in recent years, but to get the opportunity to represent Ireland at a World Cup would be a dream come true,”
Michael Hoey, representing Ireland
Representing Ireland in Aruba will be Gareth Maybin and Michael Hoey, who see the Omega Mission Hills World Cup as a springboard for their careers. “I’ve played in a lot of European Tour events and other big golf tournaments in recent years, but to get the opportunity to represent Ireland at a World Cup would be a dream come true,” said Hoey.
The format for the first and third rounds of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup Aruba Qualifier will be fourball (better ball), with foursomes (alternate shot) to be used in the second and final rounds. The Official World Golf Ranking has already seen 18 teams qualify for the World Cup and ten qualifying places are up for grabs, five each in Aruba and Kuala Lumpur which hosts the Asian Zone qualifier, the Fortis International Challenge. The tournament, formerly known as the Nations Cup and now officially known as the Omega Mission Hills World Cup Aruba Qualifier, saw last year’s winners, Mexico, finish tied eighth in the 2006 Barbados World Cup.
Omega’s President Stephen Urquhart recognises the importance of such a diverse range of entries. “The World Cup sees the coming together of the biggest golfing nations on earth,” he said. “We are delighted that Omega will be the title sponsor for the Aruba qualifier which provides the opportunity for smaller nations to compete on the top stage in golf.”
Henrique Lavie, Commissioner of the Tour de Las Americas added: "For the Tour de las Americas it is a great honour to be given the responsibility of overseeing the Americas qualifying tournament for the Omega Mission Hills World Cup 2007. We have the responsibility to provide a world class international qualifier which will bring the best players from our region and the other regions of the world, and give them the opportunity to play in a high profile, world class event such as the Omega Mission Hills World Cup. We have chosen Aruba and the Tierra del Sol Country Club as a five-star destination to host the qualifier.”
The teams who have entered the Omega Mission Hills World Cup Aruba Qualifier (the Latin American and Caribbean Zone Qualifier) are as follows:
1. VENEZUELA
Juan Carlos Berastegui - Miguel Martinez
2. COSTA RICA
Alejandro Duque - Juan Marin
3. SALVADOR
Fernando Figueroa - Victor Melara
4. ECUADOR
Rafael Ponce - Andres Moncayo
5. CZECH REPUBLIC
Petr Skopovy - Jakub Kucera
6. ITALY
Edoardo Molinari - Francesco Molinari
7. PARAGUAY
Carlos Franco - Fabrizio Zanotti
8. CHILE
Mark Tullo - Christian Leon
9. COLOMBIA
Gustavo Mendoza - Jorge Benedetti
10. PERU
Luis F. Graf - Jose Cardenas
11. BERMUDA
Dwayne Pearman - Kim Swan
12. BRAZIL
Phillipe Gasnier - Alexandre Rocha
13. MEXICO
Esteban Toledo - Jose Trauwitz
14. IRELAND
Gareth Maybin - Michael Hoey
15. GUATEMALA
Alejandro Villavicencio- Pablo Acuña
16. PUERTO RICO
Wilfredo Morales- Miguel Suarez
17. BAHAMAS
Keno Turnquest - Samuel Kemp
18. JAMAICA
Peter Horrobin - Owen Samuda
19. SERBIA
Igor Milicic - Mihail Lanic
For Further information on the Omega Mission Hills World Cup Aruba Qualifier contact: info@parallelmediagroup.com
