Golf betting: World Cup of golf

With two of the world's most in-form golfers flying the flag for St George, England are justifiable favourites to win the WGC World Cup this weekend. Justin Rose is Europe's No 1 after ending the 2007 season in style by taking the Order of Merit title with success at the Volvo Masters in Valderrama. It was Rose's second tournament victory of the year and a crucial step in the career of the Englishman who is surely destined for a Major win. After holding off Padraig Harrington to take the Harry Vardon trophy Rose has proved to have the mental fortitude to perform at the highest level and the 27-year-old will relish the competition in China, not least because he will be partnered by his close friend, Ian Poulter, who is also firing on all cylinders. Poulter captured his first trophy of the year at the Phoenix Dunlop tournament in Japan and is looking forward to teaming up with Rose, with whom he used to room on the Challenge Tour. "We have been very good mates for eight years now," said Poulter, who came fifth when partnering Paul Casey in 2005. "We are neighbours in Lake Nona and play quite a few practice rounds together when we are over there together. It's going to be brilliant at Mission Hills and more than anything it will be great fun." "I'm really looking forward to the World Cup," added Rose, who has also came close to World Cup success with Casey, finishing third in 2002 and runner-up the following year. "Ian and I go way back and to have the chance to represent my country with one of my good friends is going to be exciting." Spain will also fancy their chances, with Miguel Angel Jimenez, fresh from his Hong Kong Open win, partnering Jose Manuel Lara, who has replaced the injured Jose Maria Olazabal - the designer of the Mission Hills course hosting the event for the first time. It was on an Olly-designed course where Jimenez came close before, losing out to England in Seville in 2004 and El Mecanico clearly loves this part of the world, where he has twice won in Hong Kong and once in Shanghai. Lara is not averse to conditions in the Far East either having himself won the Hong Kong Open last year- 14/1 with Paddy Power is a sorely tempting price. With 2001 World Cup winner Retief Goosen playing alongside 2003 winner Trevor Immelman South Africa are understandably 11/2 second favourites. They came tied for 20th and seventh respectively in the Hong Kong Open and have the skill and experience to do plenty of damage. As does Robert Karlsson, who came a fluffed chip away from winning in Hong Kong on Sunday, and will want to build on otherwise impresssive form alongside the steady Peter Hanson for third favourites Sweden. Paddy Power's Big Three v The Field seems a bet to nothing at 11/10. Verdict: 2pts England to win World Cup @ 11/4; 1pt Spain to win World Cup @ 14/1; 3pts the Big Three (England, S. Africa, Sweden) v the Field @ 11/10 (Paddy Power