Cream of crop for Mt Juliet

FORTY-NINE of the top 50 golfers in the world have been confirmed for the $5.5 million American Express World Championship at Mount Juliet from September 19-22.

They are led by Tiger Woods with the sole defaulter being Japan's Toshimitsu Izawa, who prefers to stay at home and therefore, American John Cook, currently 51st in the world, will fill the vacancy if he so wishes.

Two other Japanese, Nobuhito Sato and Toru Tanighuchi, also qualified through their domestic tour but won't be travelling. They will not be replaced. The field, as yet, is not entirely cast in stone, with the possibility of the Linde German Masters in Cologne this week capable of changing the list slightly.