Another showcase event

Women's World Cup of Golf scheduled for 2005

TYTHERINGTON, England (Ticker) -- The LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour on Thursday unveiled plans to stage a Women's World Cup of Golf in February 2005 in South Africa.

The increased popularity of the Solheim Cup prompted the organizations to add another international competition in women's golf. The inaugural tournament will have a $1 million purse and take place at the Pezula Championship Golf Course in Knysna, South Africa.

Acer, an information technology company, and Pezula, a property development group, will sponsor and host the event for three years.

"With the Solheim Cup continuing to escalate to even greater heights, we are delighted to extend our relationship with the LPGA to develop the first co-sanctioned Women's World Cup of Golf," said Ian Randall, chief executive of the Ladies European Tour. "This event is sure to attract worldwide interest and offers the perfect opportunity to showcase the talents of the international memberships that both ourselves and the LPGA enjoy."

The World Cup of Golf will be a three-day, 54-hole event with a different format each day: 18 holes of foursomes, 18 holes of four-ball and 18 holes of stroke play.

The event will include a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 24 teams of two players of the same nationality.

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