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World Cup WITB’s - Groups E & F

If Group C gave Scotland a favourable draw and Group D featured the unstoppable force that is Scottie Scheffler, Groups E and F offer a very different challenge.

Group E looks one of the most open groups we've seen so far. Germany's Matti Schmid arrives as the highest-ranked player, but Ecuador's Felipe Garces and Ivory Coast's Kouassi Jean Romaric Djezou will both be hoping to upset the rankings and make a name for themselves. Curaçao, meanwhile, currently has no ranked representative in the field.

Group F is a different story altogether.

Sweden's Ludvig Åberg and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama are both comfortably inside the world's top 20, while Joost Luiten brings years of DP World Tour experience to the Netherlands. If you're looking for the closest thing to a "group of death" in our World Cup WITBs tournament, you've probably found it.

Let's take a look at the bags representing Groups E and F.

Group E - Germany

Representative: Matti Schmid (PGA Tour)
 OWGR: 67

Germany enters Group E with Matti Schmid, the highest-ranked player in the group and one of the country's brightest golfing talents. Having established himself on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, Schmid arrives with a modern mixed-brand setup featuring Cobra, TaylorMade, Titleist and Odyssey equipment throughout the bag.

Fact File
Country: Germany
OWGR: 67
Born: November 18, 1997
Turned Professional: 2021
Tour: PGA Tour

What's In The Bag?
Driver
Cobra OPTM X

Fairway Woods
TaylorMade Stealth Plus 3-Wood
TaylorMade Qi10 Tour 5-Wood

Irons
Cobra 3DP Irons (5-9 Iron)

Wedges
Cobra Snakebite Raw 46°
Titleist Vokey SM11 52°
Titleist Vokey SM11 56°
Titleist WedgeWorks 60°

Putter
Odyssey Ai-One #1

Group E - Ecuador

Representative: Felipe Garces (PGA Tour)
 OWGR: 1667

Ecuador's representative is Felipe Garces, who has earned Official World Golf Ranking points through professional competition and continues to progress through the game's professional ranks.

Fact File
Country: Ecuador
OWGR: 1667
Tour: PGA Tour

Unfortunately, Garces' equipment setup is not publicly available, meaning a verified What's In The Bag feature cannot currently be produced.

Group E - Ivory Coast

Representative: Kouassi Jean Romaric Djezou (Sunshine Tour)
OWGR: 5000

Ivory Coast's representative is Kouassi Jean Romaric Djezou, who has earned Official World Golf Ranking points through competition on developmental and regional professional tours.

Fact File
Country: Ivory Coast
OWGR: 5000
Tour: Sunshine Tour

Unfortunately, Djezou's equipment setup is not publicly available, meaning a verified What's In The Bag feature cannot currently be produced.

Group E - Curaçao

At the time of writing, Curaçao does not currently have a golfer with an Official World Golf Ranking or an established representative competing on one of the game's major professional tours.

As a result, there is no player available to feature in this edition of World Cup WITBs. With golf continuing to expand globally, future editions may well see Curaçao represented on golf's biggest stages.

Group E Standings

Position Nation Golfer OWGR
1 Germany Matti Schmid 67
2 Ecuador Felipe Garces 1667
3 Ivory Coast Kouassi Jean Romaric Djezou 5000
4 Curaçao No ranked representative N/A
Group E looks one of the most open groups in the tournament, but Germany starts as the clear favourite on paper. Matti Schmid's world ranking gives the Germans a significant advantage, while Ecuador's Felipe Garces and Ivory Coast's Kouassi Jean Romaric Djezou provide representation from two emerging golfing nations. With neither player having a publicly available WITB and Curaçao currently lacking a ranked representative, Schmid enters the group as the player everyone else is chasing.

Group F - Sweden

Representative: Ludvig Åberg (PGA Tour)
OWGR: 15

If Group F has a favourite, it may well be Sweden's Ludvig Åberg. Since turning professional, Åberg has rapidly established himself as one of the brightest talents in world golf, climbing into the world's top 20 and becoming a regular contender on the biggest stages. His setup combines trusted Titleist equipment with an Odyssey putter, creating one of the strongest bags in the tournament.

Fact File
Country: Sweden
OWGR: 15
Born: October 31, 1999
Turned Professional: 2023
Tour: PGA Tour

What's In The Bag?
Driver
Titleist TSR2

Fairway Wood
TaylorMade Stealth 2 3-Wood

Utility Iron
Titleist T350 4-Iron

Irons
Titleist T100 (5-PW)

Wedges
Titleist Vokey SM11 50°
Titleist Vokey SM11 54°
Titleist WedgeWorks Prototype II 60°

Putter
Odyssey Ai-One #1

Group F - Japan

Representative: Hideki Matsuyama (PGA Tour)
OWGR: 20

Japan enters Group F with one of the most accomplished players in modern golf. Hideki Matsuyama has spent more than a decade competing among the world's elite and remains one of the biggest names in international golf. His bag is heavily influenced by Srixon and Cleveland equipment, combining precision irons with a setup built for elite ball striking.

Fact File
Country: Japan
OWGR: 20
Born: February 25, 1992
Turned Professional: 2013
Tour: PGA Tour

What's In The Bag?
Driver
Srixon ZXi

Fairway Woods
Srixon ZXi TS 3-Wood
Cobra Radspeed 5-Wood

Utility Iron
Srixon ZXiU

Irons
Srixon Z-Forged II (5-PW)

Wedges
Cleveland RTX Forged 52°
Cleveland RTX Forged 56°
Cleveland RTX Forged 60°

Putter
Scotty Cameron Tour Newport

Group F - Netherlands

Netherlands
Representative: Joost Luiten (DP World Tour)
 OWGR: 215

The Netherlands are represented by Joost Luiten, one of the most recognisable names on the DP World Tour. A veteran of European golf, Luiten has spent nearly two decades competing at the highest level and brings a wealth of experience to Group F. His setup is built around trusted Titleist equipment, with a classic blade-style putter completing the bag.

Fact File
Country: Netherlands
OWGR: 215

Born: January 7, 1986
Turned Professional: 2006
Tour: DP World Tour

What's In The Bag?
Driver
Titleist TS3

Fairway Wood
Titleist TS3 3-Wood

Hybrid
Titleist TS2

Irons
Titleist T200 (2025) (3-PW)

Wedges
Titleist Vokey SM7 50°
Titleist Vokey SM7 54°
Titleist Vokey SM7 60°

Putter
Scotty Cameron Prototype Blade

Group F - Tunisia

Representative: Rabeh Bedoui (Amateur)
OWGR: 4383

Tunisia's representative is amateur golfer Rabeh Bedoui, who has earned Official World Golf Ranking points through amateur competition and international events.

Fact File
Country: Tunisia
OWGR: 4383
Status: Amateur

Unfortunately, Bedoui's equipment setup is not publicly available, meaning a verified What's In The Bag feature cannot currently be produced.

Group F Standings

Position Nation Golfer OWGR
1 Sweden Ludvig Åberg 15
2 Japan Hideki Matsuyama 20
3 Netherlands Joost Luiten 215
4 Tunisia Rabeh Bedoui 4383
If Group F isn't the group of death, it's certainly close. Sweden's Ludvig Åberg and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama are separated by just five places in the world rankings and both arrive with world-class credentials. The Netherlands add further quality through experienced DP World Tour campaigner Joost Luiten, while Tunisia rounds out the group through amateur representative Rabeh Bedoui. On paper, this is one of the strongest groups we've seen so far.

Group E vs Group F

Group E may be competitive, but Group F is where the heavyweight contest lies. Ludvig Åberg and Hideki Matsuyama are two of the highest-ranked players in the entire World Cup WITBs field, while Joost Luiten brings years of DP World Tour experience and a wealth of tournament know-how.

Germany's Matti Schmid should feel confident about leading Group E, but if the tournament plays out according to the rankings, a meeting with one of Group F's elite players could be waiting around the corner. For that reason alone, Group F looks like one of the most difficult draws in the competition.

From an equipment perspective, the groups offer plenty of variety. Cobra, Titleist, TaylorMade, Srixon, Cleveland, Scotty Cameron and Odyssey are all represented, highlighting just how diverse modern tour bags have become.

Looking to Play What the Pros Play?

From Titleist TSR drivers and T100 irons to Srixon woods, and Odyssey putters, many of the clubs featured throughout our World Cup WITBs series are available on the second-hand market for significantly less than their original retail price.

At Golfclubs4Cash, we stock thousands of pre-owned golf clubs from the biggest brands in the game, helping golfers upgrade their equipment without paying new-club prices. Whether you're inspired by Ludvig Åberg's Titleist setup, Hideki Matsuyama's Srixon-focused bag or Matti Schmid's modern mixed-brand configuration, there's never been a better time to explore the pre-owned market.

Browse our range of second-hand drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges and putters to discover the same models trusted by some of the world's best golfers.

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