THE Dunhill Cup is to have a completely revised format and a new name.

Instead of the straight knock-out tournament, decided by three-man sides

meeting over 18 holes of medal match-play, a round-robin system is to be

introduced and the world team championship rechristened the Alfred

Dunhill Cup to commemmorate the founder of the luxury goods company now

almost 100 years old.

When this year's event, the eighth in the series, is again played over

the Old course at St Andrews, from October 15 to 18, the 16 teams will

be divided into four groups of four. On the first three days the teams

in each group, two of them seeds and two others, will play one another.

The four leading teams will qualify for the semi-final and final rounds

on Sunday.

The change has been made, the sponsors of the #1m event say, '' to

ensure all the teams are given an equal opportunity in the tournament

and to guarantee every player in every team a minimum of three days'

competition.''

A win will be worth one point, all matches being played to a finish,

and the team in each group with most points will go forward to the

semi-finals. Each player on the side winning the final will earn

#100,000.