Els banners inaugural event

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Ernie Els, Darren Clarke and Jim Furyk will serve as playing captains for the inaugural World Champions Cup, a team showdown for golfers 50 and over that debuts in 2022.

The event, announced Tuesday in Chicago by sports marketing firm Intersport, will be a match-play battle between United States, Europe and World teams in an annual event fashioned after the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.

The three-day event for Champions Tour talent, sanctioned by the US PGA Tour, will debut in the fall of next year at an American course according to organizers.

Four-time major winner Els will guide the global squad with 2003 US Open winner Furyk serving as US captain and 2011 British Open champion Darren Clarke masterminding the European side. All will be playing captains on a six-man squad with two nine-hole matches each day.

“International team golf events have provided me with some of my greatest golf memories,” Els said. “It’s a great honor to be named the captain of Team World for the inaugural World Champions Cup.”

Furyk, a member of nine Ryder Cup teams and seven Presidents Cup squads, fired a PGA-record score of 58 in the fourth round of the 2016 Travelers Championship.

“I’m excited to lead Team USA and recapture the great global team championships I have been fortunate enough to enjoy during my career,” Furyk said.

Northern Ireland’s Clarke captured his only major title at Royal St. George’s and has played in five Ryder Cups.

“To be selected along with Jim and Ernie, two of golf’s all-time great players, is an honor,” Clarke said.