KEY POINTS:
New Zealand golfers Mark Brown and David Smail will compete for a sizeable slice of World Cup pie in China in November.
Organisers have lifted the prize pool by US$500,000 ($744,050) to US$5.5 million ($8.18 million) for the 28-nation World Cup teams event at the Mission Hills Golf Club.
Brown and Smail have been confirmed to carry New Zealand's hopes on November 27-30 in an event in which compatriots Richard Lee and Stephen Scahill finished 27th last year.
It will mark Brown's debut in the teams competition played under fourball (better ball) and foursomes (alternate shot) formats.
His promotion owes everything to his world ranking of 87th, earned this year after his two victories on the Asian Tour.
As the highest ranked New Zealander, it fell to Brown to choose his playing partner, and not surprisingly he shoulder-tapped Smail, the next best rated of his compatriots at 124th.
Japan-based Smail offers the team plenty of experience, with this year's tournament representing his fourth World Cup appearance.
Smail partnered Michael Campbell to finish second equal in 2001 and 15th equal in 2003, and he repeated the latter result with Craig Perks in 2004.
Brown, 33, said Smail's knowledge would be an important asset.
- NZPA