Finland, Canada and Portugal earn trip to Mission Hills

Finland, Canada and Portugal topped the standings to reach the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China after the European qualifiers in Wejherowo, Poland.

They will be joined by South Korea, the Philippines and Italy, who earned their places in the grand final in November by winning the Asian qualifiers in Malaysia in September.

The Finnish duo of Roope Kakko and Mikko Korhonen strolled to victory in Poland by a comfortable eight strokes over the Canadian duo of Graham DeLaet and Wes Heffernan, who played in last year’s final with PGA Tour veteran Mike Weir.

The Finns totalled 21-under-par 267 after a final round of one-under-par 71 as Canada struggled in blustery conditions for a 77, which gave them four-round total of 275.

Portugal’s Tiago Cruz and Ricardo Santos closed with 79 for a total of 281 to guarantee themselves the third and last qualifying place.

Switzerland’s Andre Bossert and Martin Rominger were in fourth place but they were never in the reckoning having finished on 288, seven strokes behind the Portuguese.

It will be Portugal’s first appearance in the World Cup finals since 2005, when they were represented by Filipe Lima and António Sobrinho.

Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren are the defending champions after they stormed to a thrilling play-off victory over the United States to win last year’s event.

The duo were taken to a third play-off hole at the Olazabal Course to overcome Americans Heath Slocum and Boo Weekley and give Scotland their first triumph in the tournament’s 53-year history.

Their victory made up for their defeat in the previous year’s final, when they lost to Germany in the first extra hole in Barbados.


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