The Italian team offers an interesting partnership with the brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari. Edoardo is another who is in fine form, and was one of those who participated in last week's three-man playoff at the Hong Kong Open, although he was the first to fall. The less-expert of the local spectators might be forgiven for wondering if the Danish partnership of Soren and Anders Hansen, who will play alongside the Molinaris, are brothers too. There is certainly the opportunity for a little confusion in that grouping.

The competition will be opened by the New Zealand pair of Mark Brown, who earlier this season led the Asian Order of Merit, and David Smail, playing alongside the two Gregorys of France, Havret and Bourdy.

Not all the participating nations have fielded their strongest possible team - the USA for example are represented by Ben Curtis and Brandt Snedeker, who lies only 58th in the current World Rankings. But among those countries who have sent out strong pairings and will fancy their chances of success are Sweden, whose partnership of Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson have the highest combined ranking of any team, Ireland, with Graeme McDowell and Paul McGinley, and Spain, represented by the vastly experienced Miguel Angel Jiminez, and the 2008 European Rookie of the Year Pablo Arrazabal.

Still smiling after his victory in last week's Hong Kong Open - Chinese Taipei's Lin wen-tang  [China.og.cn]

Among the Asians India's Jeev Milkha Singh, currently in terrific form and Jyoti Randhawa could be another two to watch, as could Chinese Taipei, who field Lu Wen-teh and Lin Wen-tang, the dramatic winner of last week's Hong Kong Open.

Scotland, as holders, will take the honour of the last pairing out, along with the hosts, China, who field the country's most experienced and most successful pair of golfers in Zhang Lianwei and Liang Wenchong. The Chinese are another team who may think the time is ripe for a win. Liang Wenchong, with a recent victory to his credit in the Indian Open, has been in fine and consistent form recently, and his partner Zhang Lianwei, if less consistent at the moment, is capable of producing low rounds, and has plenty of experience. Several factors may work to their advantage - the format may suit them, they have the advantage of having played together in the competition last year, when they achieved China's best-ever result with an eleventh-place finsh, and Zhang Lianwei is as local as you can get, hailing from Shenzhen.

"We have had two days of practising together here," said Zhang. "We've had a lot of birdies between us and hopefully we'll continue to do so when the tournament starts tomorrow (on Thursday)."

"In 1995, the World Cup was held in our country for the first time and the game was still very new then," he added. "Last year, I returned after 12 years and it felt really good. Playing with Liang was a great experience. It was amazing to see the number of spectators who turned up to watch the event which is good for golf in China. It will help boost the interest of the game and encourage more people to take up the sport."

"I am looking forward to another huge turnout this year, which will motivate us to play well,” he concluded.

An honour guard of flag-bearers at the Opening Ceremony of the Omega Mission Hills 2008 World Cup [China.org.cn]

Prominent Chinese and international dignitaries gathered for the opening ceremony, including Dr. David Chu, Chairman of the Mission Hills Golf Club, Mr. Dalin Cui, China's Vice Minister of the General Administration of Sport, Mr. Stephen Urquhart, President of Omega, Mr. George O'Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, Mr. Ed Moorhouse, Co-Chief Operating Officer of the PGA Tour, Mr. Kyi Hla Han, Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour, Mr. Tadashi Koizumi, Chairman of the Japan Golf Tour, Mr. Dan Halldorson, Deputy Executive Director of the Canadian Tour, and Mr. Ricardo Lyon, Commercial Vice President of the Tour de las Americas.

Liang Wenchong added a final message of goodwill: "To all my fellow competitors, I would like to welcome you to China. I am extremely proud to be representing my country this week and I know that you all feel the same. I look forward to having the opportunity to play alongside you on the magnificent Olazábal Course here at Mission Hills, and I would like to thank the organisers, OMEGA, and Mission Hills, for their commitment to the World Cup and for bringing us all together here today. I hope that you enjoy your time in China, and I wish you all the best of luck for the championship."

(China.org.cn November 27, 2008)