The 2008 Lexus Cup was a professional women's golf event contested by two teams of 12 members each: one representing Asian countries and the other representing the rest of the world, known as the "International" team. Since the event's inception in 2005, it has been sanctioned by the world's dominant women's professional golf tour, the LPGA Tour in the U.S., although it is an unofficial event in which no earnings by the competitors affect their positions on the LPGA money list.
The competition took place on the Bukit Course at The Singapore Island Country Club in Singapore from 28 to 30 November 2008. Lexus was the title sponsor; Rolex, DBS, Singapore Airlines, Callaway Golf, and Singapore Sports Council were main sponsors.
This was the last official LPGA appearance for Team International captain Annika Sörenstam, who had previously announced her retirement at the end of the 2008 season.
Teams As in the similar team events of the Solheim Cup (USA vs. Europe women), Ryder Cup (USA vs. Europe men), and Presidents Cup, each team is made up of twelve players. Four players for Team Asia and four for Team International earn sports through the Rolex Rankings. Four additional players for each team qualified through their position on the LPGA Official Money List, as of 2 November 2008. Once the top eight players for each team were confirmed, four additional players—two captain's picks and two sponsor's exemptions—were selected for each team.
Asia Rolex World Ranking Qualification Yani Tseng Seon Hwa Lee Jeong Jang Eun-Hee Ji ADT Official Money List Qualification Inbee Park Na Yeon Choi Song-Hee Kim Candie Kung Captain's Picks Sarah Lee Mayumi Shimomura Sponsor's Picks Namika Omata Se Ri Pak (playing captain)
International Rolex World Rankings Qualifications Annika Sörenstam (playing captain) Suzann Pettersen Paula Creamer Cristie Kerr ADT Official Money List Qualification Helen Alfredsson Angela Stanford Katherine Hull Karen Stupples Captain's Picks Nicole Castrale Natalie Gulbis Sponsor's Picks Nikki Campbell Christina Kim
Day one 28 November 2008
Day one saw six foursome matches with each team putting two golfers on the course for each match and the pairs playing alternate shots. The teams split the matches with each team winning three. Only one of the six matches — Paula Creamer and Nicole Castrale vs. Se Ri Pak and Eun-Hee Ji — went to 18 holes.
Team Asia Results Team InternationalSong-Hee Kim / Inbee ParkAsia 3&2Helen Alfredsson / Christina Kim Sarah Lee / Na Yeon ChoiInt'l 2&1Cristie Kerr / Karen StupplesYani Tseng / Seon Hwa LeeAsia 2&1Suzann Pettersen / Natalie Gulbis Se Ri Pak / Eun-Hee JiInt'l 1 upPaula Creamer / Nicole CastraleJeong Jang / Candie KungAsia 3&2Angela Stanford / Annika SörenstamNamika Omata / Mayumi ShimomuraInt'l 3&1Katherine Hull / Nikki Campbell 3 Foursomes 3 3 Overall 3
Day two 29 November 2008
The teams remained locked in tie after the day two fourball matches where each side won three matches. All of the wins by the International Team went to 18 holes, compared to only one of the wins by Team Asia.
Team Asia Results Team InternationalEun-Hee Ji/ Inbee ParkInt'l 1 upAnnika Sörenstam / Suzann Pettersen Se Ri Pak / Seon Hwa LeeInt'l 1 upCristie Kerr / Helen AlfredssonJeong Jang / Na Yeon ChoiAsia 1 upPaula Creamer / Nicole Castrale Sarah Lee / Song-Hee KimAsia 4&2Karen Stupples / Christina KimCandie Kung / Mayumi ShimomuraAsia 4&3Natalie Gulbis / Angela StanfordYani Tseng / Namika OmataInt'l 1 upKatherine Hull / Nikki Campbell 3 Fourball 3 6 Overall 6
Day three 30 November 2008
Team Asia Results Team InternationalSe Ri Pak Int'l 3&2Annika Sörenstam Sarah LeeAsia 1 upNicole Castrale Yani TsengHalvedSuzann Pettersen Inbee ParkInt'l 3&2Helen AlfredssonNa Yeon ChoiAsia 3&2Paula CreamerSong-Hee KimAsia 1 upCristie Kerr Eun-Hee JiHalvedKaren StupplesJeong JangInt'l 1 upKatherine Hull Mayumi ShimomuraInt'l 2&1Natalie GulbisNamika OmataHalvedChristina Kim Candie KungAsia 3&2Nikki Campbell Seon Hwa LeeInt'l 4&3Angela Stanford 5 Singles 6 11 Overall 12
External links Lexus Cup - official site