I bet you can’t name the team that won the last World Golf Championship in 2018?
I couldn’t have done it if I hadn’t looked at Wikipedia. Belgians Thomas Detry and Thomas Pieters did what Belgian football’s golden generation failed to do by lifting the trophy at the Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne.
My memories of this defunct tournament are limited at best because when I began my golf obsession around 2010, there have only been four revivals of the tournament since then.
It was founded in 1953, 23 years after the first FIFA World Cup. The format of the game has undergone many changes, from stroke play from 36 to 72 holes, best ball and fours. It was played as WGC between 2000 and 2006.
Tiger Woods won it in 1999 and 2000 respectively with Mark O’Meara and David Duval in Kuala Lumpur and Buenos Aires. Golf returned home in 1998 when Sir Nick Faldo and David Carter won the tournament in Auckland, then six years of resentment were put to rest when Paul Casey and Luke Donald did the same in 2004 in Seville.
Spain also performed well. Seve Ballesteros won the competition in 1976 and 1977, first with Manuel Pinero, then with Antonio Garrido. America leads in the number of titles – 24.
With the World Cup in North America in full swing, we wonder if the World Golf Championship ever returns, will England win it?
Let’s take a look at the countries that rank highest in the Official World Golf Rankings, put together the highest-ranked players from each country, and then give a football verdict on who we think will come out on top.
2026 World Golf Championship
USA: Scotty Scheffler and Cameron Young
On paper, this pair should win, and win the tournament well. Scottie Scheffler has been the best player in the world for some time now, and Cameron Young is also developing into a great talent.
They would be the bookmakers’ favorites.
Scotty Scheffler and Cameron Young during the second round of the 2026 Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral Miami | Source: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Northern Ireland: Rory McIlroy and Tom McKibbin
These two are friends, so they could feed off each other well. Rory is Rory – nothing more can be said about a person who has completed the sport.
Tom McKibbin controversially decided to trade outside of Europe and prioritized Saudi wealth, as many players have done in recent years. Despite this, they would certainly make a useful couple.
England: Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose
Hurry up, Kevin, will he do it?
Fitzpatrick and Rose will certainly be among the favorites. Once Rose starts playing for something bigger than himself, the performance level rises and the fists appear. The duo are certainly good enough to give England fans delirious anticipation of a homecoming.
Spain: Jon Rahm and David Puig
You wouldn’t want to face Jon Rahm and David Puig in the quarterfinals. A great champion and a generational talent, and his student can cause all sorts of problems for either side.
Jon Rahm on the 18th green during the final round of LIV Golf Andalucia at Real Club Valderrama | Source: Pedro Salado/LIV Golf.
Sweden: Ludwig Aberg and Alex Noren
Scandinavian teams are the dark horse in this tournament. We’re still waiting for Ludwig to fully explode and realize his potential, so perhaps the experienced and cunning Noren can coax him into the final stages of the tournament.
Scotland: Bob McIntyre and Calum Hill
Bob has established himself with big wins in Canada and his native Scotland, but is that form enough to presumably carry his partner through the preliminary stages and beyond?
South Korea: Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im
This is an interesting couple. They have big titles and Xi Wu has won nothing less than a great American title. I think we have a dark horse here and not the Turkey type that is completely underwhelming.
Norway: Kristoffer Reitan and Viktor Hovland
Viktor Hovland has experience and form in a team environment and is set to achieve more in the coming years. Reitan has now also won in the States. They are a force to be reckoned with.
Japan: Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune
In terms of betting, Hideki Matsuyama is one of the toughest players. He’s a serial winner and arguably the biggest Asian star of all time, but would you be surprised if he gets eliminated in the first round? As for Ryo Hisatsune, is this the type of player you want to go after?
Hideki Matsuyama wins Masters 2021 | Source: Getty Images
Denmark: Rasmus and Nikolaj Hojgaard
These two will play for each other, won’t they? Although they haven’t conquered America yet, they are now European stars and everyone will love the story of brave twins battling their way to the quarter-finals and beyond.
Australia: Min Woo Lee and Jason Day
This is a fun duet. Jason Day is full of experience and class, and Min Woo Lee will attract passionate fans with his brand. However, unless it’s cricket or rugby, Australia doesn’t actually host World Cups.
Canada: Corey Conners and Nick Taylor
We have an interesting couple of Canadians here. They certainly know how to win and have a lot of trophies to their name. But will the star quality be enough to advance deep into the tournament?
South Africa: Casey Jarvis and Jayden Schaper
You can’t win anything with kids, but these two guys are very good. They have already done well in Europe and should be safe going into this tournament. It would be a fun watch, full of grace and excitement.
France: Martin Couvrera and Adrien Saddier
This is not quite the golden generation of France that we were accustomed to in previous years. They have wins in Europe, which is great, but this tournament requires some consistency to get through to the later stages.
Austria: Sepp Straka and Bernd Wiesberger
Perhaps we will have dark horses again. I’m a big fan of Sepp Straka. He knows how to win as an away team and Bernd Wiesberger also has experience playing in a group locker room. Don’t be surprised if this company bets on England or America at the end of the tournament.
Belgium: Thomas Detry and Thomas Pieters
They are the reigning champions, but as we are used to in Belgium, they still rely on the same group of players from the past to produce the goods. I’m just not sure it will work anymore.
Bob McIntyre wins 2024 Scottish Open | Source: Getty Images
Verdict
You already know the verdict. It’s coming home.
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