Cultural and sporting exchange: Woods, Els staging junior event

The Tiger Woods Foundation announced on Monday that the inaugural match will be held on July 2-8 at Edgewood Valley Country Club in La Grange, Ill. - in the same week as the Western Open.

Four boys and four girls, ages 15 to 18, will qualify based on requirements determined by the Tiger Woods Foundation and the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation. The format will be mixed teams in better ball, boys and girls' teams in alternate shot and singles matches in the final round. Among those selected for Woods' team is his niece, Cheyenne Woods.

A site was not been announced for the 2007 Friendship Cup in South Africa.

Woods and Els are longtime friends who have staged some memorable duels, none bigger than the 2003 Presidents Cup in South Africa. When the matches ended in a tie, Woods and Els were selected by their captains for a sudden-death playoff at Fancourt. On the third extra hole in near darkness, Woods made a 15-foot par putt, and Els matched it with a 6-footer for par. The Presidents Cup then was declared a tie.

They also played the final 36 holes together in the season-opening Mercedes Championships in 2000, both making eagle on the final hole to force a playoff, both making birdie on the first extra hole. Woods won on the second playoff hole with a 40-foot birdie putt.

The Tiger Woods Foundations was created by Woods and his late father, Earl, in 1996, to help kids with community-based programs aimed at health, education and welfare. The Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation was created in 1999 to identify and help aspiring golfers with limited resources.