Hong Kong: Irishman Shane Lowry and American Tony Finau will headline the 61st Hong Kong Open when the rescheduled tournament takes place at Hong Kong Golf Club from January 9-12, 2020.

The pair have made their mark on the game in recent years, not least at the 148th Open Championship in July this year, where Lowry claimed a six-stroke victory amid triumphant scenes at Royal Portrush Golf Club, while Finau claimed third place on the links course in Northern Ireland.

The duo will resume their rivalry next month as part of the 120-player field set to compete on the Composite Course at the Hong Kong Golf Club, a Golf Course Facility member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

Lowry, a five-time European Tour winner who played the Hong Kong Open in 2009 and 2010, said: “I’m excited about going back to play the Hong Kong Open again. The Hong Kong Open will be my first event of 2020 and I’m hoping to use the tournament to kick-start what will be a very important year for me as I try to make the European Ryder Cup team next September and build on the success I enjoyed this year.”

Winner of the 2016 Puerto Rico Open and runner-up at last year’s WGC HSBC Champions in Shanghai, Finau jumped at the opportunity to make his Hong Kong debut.

“I’m looking forward to competing in my first Hong Kong Open,” said the 30-year old from Salt Lake City, who contributed valuable points to the victorious US Team in last week’s Presidents Cup. “I’ve heard great things about the tournament and Hong Kong Golf Club, and I am excited to see it all first-hand to start the year,” added the world number 16.

Also confirming their appearances at Fanling are 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Jazz Janewattananond and fellow-Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

Fans will have plenty of local talent to support with the Hong Kong Golf Association awarding starting places to Matthew Cheung, Alan Gibson, Isaac Lam, Shinichi Mizuno, Terrence Ng and Lou Tan Chi-hin, who qualified for the original November date. They will be joined by Jason Hak, Taichi Kho, Leon D’Souza, Ben Wong, Alexander Yang and Motin Yeung in their national Open.

The 61st Hong Kong Open will stage two key charitable initiatives, providing golf fans with the opportunity to compete on the Championship Course, while ensuring that the tournament continues to have a positive impact on the local community via Operation Santa Claus.

Hosted by Hong Kong Golf Club, which is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year, the Hong Kong Open is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Hong Kong Golf Association and organised by the European Tour.