Shanghai, China: Long-term international golf sponsor HSBC has hailed China as the ‘unstoppable force’ in world golf as it prepares to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its WGC-HSBC Champions tournament.
For the second year running, 40 of the world’s top-50 golfers will line up at Asian Golf Industry Federation Golf Facility member Sheshan International Golf Club (November 6-9) as China cements its position at the top table of global golf with another show-stopping field.
HSBC Global Head of Sponsorship and Events Giles Morgan said: “Whichever way you look at it, China is the unstoppable force in world golf. This is where the new generation of young talented golfers want to be – it’s almost where they have to be and there’s no turning back.
“What we’ve seen this year and in 2013 represents a huge statement about golf in China – for two years running we’re welcoming 40 of the world’s best 50 players to Shanghai and that is comparable with almost any other major tournament on the planet.
“Let’s look at the facts. When we first came to China in 2005 the tournament attracted 13 of the world’s top 50 golfers. By 2009 when we were awarded World Golf Championship status we had more than doubled this with 28 of the top 50 and now for the last two years we have attracted 40 of the world’s best 50 golfers to compete for the US$8.5 million prize fund.
“When you consider that because of injury or unavoidable breaks from the game, we have number of absentees from this year’s field, that is quite an achievement and bodes well for the future when those players return in 2015. China has been on an incredible golfing journey and this year’s tournament represents another important milestone.”
WGC-HSBC Champions is the fourth and final World Golf Championship event of the year. In the last 10 years the tournament has earned the tag of ‘Asia’s Major’ and, with the exception of The Open Championship, is now the highest-ranked golf tournament in the world outside of the United States.
The field lives up to its billing with world number two Adam Scott, world number four Sergio Garcia, world number five Henrik Stenson, world number six Justin Rose, 2014 Masters champion, Bubba Watson, 2014 US Open winner Martin Kaymer, and the only player to finish in the top-five at all 2014 Majors, Rickie Fowler, all lining up in Shanghai.
Underlining the quality of proven champions throughout the field the latest players to confirm include winner of the FedEx Cup, Billy Horschel, three-time winner on the 2014 PGA Tour Jimmy Walker, Japanese star and winner of the 2014 Memorial Tournament Hideki Matsuyama, two-time 2014 PGA Tour winner Chris Kirk, US Ryder Cup star Jordan Spieth and European Ryder Cup heroes Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson.
Guy Kinnings, Global Head of Golf at IMG, the tournament promoters, added: “This is a fantastic field by any standard, in any part of the world, but it is particularly special to have a tournament with this calibre of field in China to mark the 10th anniversary.”
A key part of the 2014 European Tour’s Final Series, the WGC-HSBC Champions is part of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup schedule, with money earned counting as official money on the PGA Tour. The winner also earns a three-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
Shanghai, China: Long-term international golf sponsor HSBC has hailed China as the ‘unstoppable force’ in world golf as it prepares to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its WGC-HSBC Champions tournament.
