The Score: Japanese golfer braves searing heat in marathon World Cup of Golf practice session at Kingston Heath

THERE are plenty of golfers who work hard at their game, but Japanese gun Hideki Matsuyama has taken it to another level at Kingston Heath ahead of the World Cup of Golf.

Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama has taken his preparation for the World Cup of Golf to another level. Picture: Getty Images

THERE is dedication to your craft and then there’s what Hideki Matsuyama is bringing to the World Cup of Golf.

On Sunday as the mercury hovered near 40 degrees, the Japanese gun stood on the practice putting green at Kingston Heath for SIX hours.

Let’s repeat that or put it another way.

Matsuyama practised his putting for as long as it would take someone who lived next door to the Heath to travel to Torquay and back, fitting in a few hours on the beach in-between.

The world No.6 spent so long in three particular spots on the green that he literally burned footmarks into the surface.

MORE:Scott, Leishman head Aussie World Cup of Golf hopes

This didn’t go down well with his fellow competitors given it corrupted the green forcing staff to rearrange the holes on the practice facility to avoid Matsuyama’s marks.

The Japanese combination of Matsuyama and Ryo Ishikawa have been the best backed, coming into second favouritism at $6 behind Australia ($4.50) after being $21 when markets opened.

First one here at @KingstonHeathGC? The top ranked player in our field ...

World No. 6, Hideki Matsuyama. pic.twitter.com/PqYZ5R2mMl

— World Cup of Golf (@WorldCupGolf) November 19, 2016

Pom Chris Wood returns to Kingston Heath, 19 years after he was stung by a bee at the famous course. Picture: AFP

WOOD HOPING NOT TO GET STUNG AGAIN

LAST time English world number 37 Chris Wood was at Kingston Heath he got stung by a bee nearly a decade ago.

He was an amateur then and in the bushes, although not retrieving his ball, when he got stung on the eye.

“I was in the bushes, I had to go. It could have been a lot worse,” he said yesterday, returning to the scene of the sting as part of team England for the World Cup of Golf.

Bit of target practice before the start of @WorldCupGolf here @MCG #bowlingshane pic.twitter.com/0XsmXYxR9H

— Chris Wood (@Chris3Wood) November 22, 2016

Wood was a late call-up for the event, when Masters champ Danny Willett withdrew, prompting an immediate change of plans after what he thought was his season-ending event in Dubai last weekend.

“I had a holiday planned with my wife. She went home yesterday instead of being on holiday with me in Dubai,” he said.

“I had to deal with that gently.”

Cadel Evans at Torquay promoting Great Ocean Road Race. picture: Glenn Ferguson

EVANS BACK ON THE MOUNTAIN BIKE

CADEL Evans is going back to his roots.

The 2011 Tour de France winner is dusting off his mountain bike to take on the world’s toughest event, Cape Epic, in South Africa.

Evans started his career as a mountain biker and won the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 before finishing seventh in the men’s cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The Cape Epic has been described as the Tour de France of mountain biking — a 700km race that lasts eight days where you compete in teams of two and have to stay together for the duration to qualify as a finisher.

MORE: Cadel 1, Sam Edmund 0

So who would be able to keep up with Evans?

What about an American who jointly holds the record of 17 Tour de France appearances?

George Hincapie was a teammate of Evans’ when he won in 2011 and will again come to the aid of the Australian in next year’s event.

He has never been to South Africa or raced a mountain bike but has a simple explanation for why he’ll be taking up the challenge: “Cadel made me do it.”

THE WHISPER

Collingwood premiership captain Nick Maxwell is trimming back his media commitments to take a more expanded role with GWS where he was the leadership coach this season.

Nick Maxwell has shifted his focus to a broadened coaching role with GWS.