World Class field takes shape for "Asia's Major"

Posted by Admin (IN) 06 Sep 2010

September 6th 2010: World Number three Lee Westwood, US Open Champion Graeme McDowell, Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and USPGA Champion Martin Kaymer are amongst the latest stars to confirm their entry into the 2010 WGC-HSBC Champions at the Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai, from the 4th to 7th November 2010.

Also joining World Number One, Tiger Woods, and World Number Two and defending champion, Phil Mickelson, are Ian Poulter, winner of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and Hunter Mahan, winner of the recent WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, ensuring that the world’s best players of 2010 are all in Shanghai trying to win the coveted ‘Champion of Champions’ title and a share of the US$7million prize fund.

With so many top-class players already in the field, the 2010 WGC-HSBC Champions looks set to build upon last year’s success when, elevated to the illustrious World Golf Championship tier of events for the first time, it attracted the strongest field ever seen in Asia with seven of the world’s top 10 and 20 of the world’s top 30 golfers making it the second-highest ranked field anywhere in the world outside the US in 2009.

World Number three, Lee Westwood, winner of the inaugural Dubai World Golf Championship last November, finished second in the 2010 Masters tournament and The Open Championship and is looking for a big win to finish off his year. He explained, “I have had a great year in terms of getting my world ranking right up there and have been extremely consistent throughout. However, there is no doubt I’d love to win a big title like the WGC-HSBC Champions to finish off my year on a high note. I haven’t won a World Golf Championship before so it is a real goal of mine and the fact that the WGC-HSBC Champions is played in China makes it the most global one of all and the one I would most like to win.”

Graeme McDowell, who claimed his first Major at the US Open this year is looking forward to returning to China as a Major champion having finished tied 16th last year. He said, “It certainly gives you a little boost when you are announced on the tee as a Major Champion and in a tournament known as the ‘Champion of Champions,’ I hope it will give me a little bit of an edge. Last year I shot 65 in the second round amongst three rounds in the 70s so I know the Sheshan course suits me if I play well and I am really looking forward to having another go at winning this great event.”

Louis Oosthuizen became only the fourth South African to ever win a Major when he won the 2010 Open Championship finishing seven shots clear of the field at St Andrews in July. He also finished in tied 16th alongside Graeme McDowell in last year’s WGC-HSBC Champions, adding, “Winning the Open Championship is a huge turning point in my career and means I go to Majors and World Golf Championships with far higher expectations than I may have done in the past. I have played in the WGC-HSBC Champions three times now and have always enjoyed the experience very much. From the great hospitality to the immaculate condition of the Sheshan course, it is always a great week and one I look forward to very much.”

Germany’s Martin Kaymer, winner of the final Major of 2010, the USPGA Championship and current leader of the European Tour’s Race to Dubai rankings said, “I knew I had already secured my place in the WGC-HSBC Champions when I won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in January so it was nice to take the pressure off by making sure of my place in the field so early in the year. Winning my first Major was a fantastic end to the summer but now I really want to keep my place at the top of the Race to Dubai and finish the year off well. I think a win at the WGC-HSBC Champions will be very significant in both the end-of-year European and World Rankings, especially with Tiger, Phil and Lee in the field.”

Giles Morgan, Group Head of Sponsorship at HSBC said “The number of early entries we have had this year from so many of the world’s best golfers confirms that the HSBC Champions has already established its place alongside the other WGC events and that the stars are going to make China’s WGC event a success. To have all of the Major winners of 2010 already in the line-up along with so many other great champions, coupled with all the great feedback they’re giving about the tournament, shows that Tiger knew what he was saying when he described the HSBC Champions as ‘the crowning jewel of all of Asian golf!’”

Robbie Henchman, Senior Vice President of the tournament promoters IMG concluded, “We are delighted at the way the tournament is shaping up. The field is already brimming with the world’s best golfers and we think everything is in place to deliver an even more exciting tournament this year.”