SYDNEY: Australian Adam Scott on Tuesday picked Marc Leishman to partner him at next month's World Cup in Melbourne after world No.1 Jason Day pulled out with a back injury.
Leishman, ranked 53 in the world, last won an event in December at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa on the European Tour.
"I'm extremely excited about playing in the World Cup of Golf with Adam. I can't wait to represent my country back home in Australia," Leishman said.
"Also, my best to Jason for a quick recovery."
Ten-time PGA Tour winner Day was planning on returning home to play in the November 23-27 event at the Kingston Heath course for the first time since he and world No.6 Scott won the event in 2013.
But he tore a ligament in his back towards the end of the 2016 PGA Tour season, forcing his withdrawal from the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship, and has been advised to rest until next year.
Twenty-eight two-man teams representing their countries will contest the World Cup, which this year returns to a 72-hole, stroke-play event format.
The first and third days of competition will be the foursomes format and the second and final days are fourball play.
After 18 months away, Olazabal to return at British Masters
Two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal will return to tournament golf for the first time in 18 months at the British Masters this week.
The 50-year-old Spaniard has been out of action because of pain in his joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis, and says he reached "rock bottom" in December 2015.
Olazabal says he will play the British Masters, held at The Grove course just north of London, starting Thursday, and then the Portugal Masters next week as a "test to see if I can stand up all day."
He will then make a decision about whether he will keep playing the European Tour or the senior circuit next season.
Olazabal, Europe's Ryder Cup-winning captain in 2012, has not played competitive golf since the second round of the 2015 Masters.
Leishman, ranked 53 in the world, last won an event in December at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa on the European Tour.
"I'm extremely excited about playing in the World Cup of Golf with Adam. I can't wait to represent my country back home in Australia," Leishman said.
"Also, my best to Jason for a quick recovery."
Ten-time PGA Tour winner Day was planning on returning home to play in the November 23-27 event at the Kingston Heath course for the first time since he and world No.6 Scott won the event in 2013.
But he tore a ligament in his back towards the end of the 2016 PGA Tour season, forcing his withdrawal from the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship, and has been advised to rest until next year.
Twenty-eight two-man teams representing their countries will contest the World Cup, which this year returns to a 72-hole, stroke-play event format.
The first and third days of competition will be the foursomes format and the second and final days are fourball play.
After 18 months away, Olazabal to return at British Masters
Two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal will return to tournament golf for the first time in 18 months at the British Masters this week.
The 50-year-old Spaniard has been out of action because of pain in his joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis, and says he reached "rock bottom" in December 2015.
Olazabal says he will play the British Masters, held at The Grove course just north of London, starting Thursday, and then the Portugal Masters next week as a "test to see if I can stand up all day."
He will then make a decision about whether he will keep playing the European Tour or the senior circuit next season.
Olazabal, Europe's Ryder Cup-winning captain in 2012, has not played competitive golf since the second round of the 2015 Masters.
