German Bernhard Langer is to replace American Stewart Cink at the Cisco World Match Play championship at Wentworth next week.

Cink withdrew because he wanted to stay in the United States to try to secure a place in the leading 30 money-winners on the PGA Tour who qualify for the end-of-month Tour Championship worth approximately £2.5 million. He is currently 32nd.

Langer has played in seven previous World Match Plays, losing the 1984 and 1985 finals to Seve Ballesteros.

The tournament boasts one of its best fields for many years.

World number one Tiger Woods, British Open and US Masters champion Mark O'Meara, defending champion and US PGA champion Vijay Singh and three-time winner Ernie Els are set to be the four seeds who gain byes into the quarter-finals.

Richard Coughlan fired a second round, one-over-par 72 to scrape in on the cut in the Michelob Championship in Virginia last night. This is the Birr golfer's second last tournament to secure enough money to retain his US Tour card.