THE NEWLY crowned USPGA champion Rory McIlroy is set to square off against 14-time Major winner Tiger Woods in a special showpiece event in China in October.
The world number one and Woods will be the sole participants in a match play contest that won’t offer any prize money. It will take place at Jinsha Lake Golf Club, in Zhengzhou, capital of the central province of Henan, on October 29th.
McIlroy admitted: “It’s an exciting concept and it will be a lot of fun going head to head with Tiger. The Duel at Jinsha Lake will be the first time myself and Tiger have come together to play a ‘one-off’ match like this, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve always looked up to him as a player. What he’s achieved in the game is remarkable.”
The 23-year-old continued: “With the huge growth of the game of golf across Asia and the inclusion of the sport in the next Olympic Games in 2016, I think it’s fitting for this great event to take place in China.”
McIlroy has enjoyed considerable success in China during his professional career, including pocketing the biggest ever prize offered for a golf tournament when winning $2 million (€1.42 million) for a play-off victory over Anthony Kim at the Shanghai Masters last October.
He then went on to win the Hong Kong Masters at the beginning of September after a closing 65 gave him a two-shot victory over Gregory Havret.
McIlroy will also meet Woods in the opening two rounds of the The Barclays at Bethpage next week as the pair are number one and two in the FedEx Cup rankings ahead of the four tournament play-off series.
