The World Cup of Golf will become the fourth event of the World Golf Championships next year, offering bigger prizes and a new format, officials said on Friday.

Jonathan Linen, chairman of the International Golf Association, said that the 45th World Cup being played now in Kuala Lumpur would be the last using the four-round stroke total for 32 two-man teams and offering a separate trophy for the top individual scorer.

The IGA announced that starting with the 2000 World Cup December 4-10 at the Buenos Aires Golf Club in Argentina, total prize money will be doubled to 3 million U.S. dollars from the current 1.5 million dollars.

The new format will include two days of alternate shot play by the two teammates and two days of four-ball, consistent with the format used in Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team play.

The World Cup, to be run now by the International Federation of PGA Tours, will be the team component of the world championship series, which also includes the Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship, the NEC Invitational and the American Express Championship.

Linen said the IGA, which has run the World Cup since 1953, will retain an advisory role under its agreement with the federation. IGA executive director Burch Riber said the IGA will remain in a position to take over the cup's running again if the federation does not live up to the agreement.

Under the new rules, 18 teams will qualify based on individual world rankings.