Golf News: - Posted 30th May 1998

China to play in Dunhill Cup for first time

London - South Africa, champions for the first time in 1997, will be defending their title at St. Andrews 8th - 11th October  in the 14th year of this unique international team championship.

Other past winners playing this year include Australia, who won the first two Alfred Dunhill Cups in 1985 and 1986; England, winners in 1987 and 1992; Ireland who won in 1988 and 1990; Scotland and Sweden, who won the title in 1995 and 1991 respectively; and the United States, who became the first three-time winners of the title in 1996 after wins in 1989 and 1993.

The Peoples Republic of China will be playing at St. Andrews for the first time, having previously only competed on an honorary basis in a regional qualifier in 1988.

The format will be unchanged with four groups of three-member teams playing in a "round-robin" league over the first three days. Group winners play in the semi-finals on Sunday morning, followed by the 18-hole final in the afternoon. Prize money will be £1 million with £100,000 going to each member of the winning team.

The players selected to represent the qualifying countries will be announced at the end of August.

Countries represented followed by the number of their previous appearances: