Hideki Matsuyama will launch his defence of the WGC-HSBC Champions alongside Spain’s Jon Rahm and American Dustin Johnson when play gets under way at Sheshan Golf Club on Thursday morning.
Matsuyamabecame the first Japanese golfer to win a World Golf Championships event 12 months ago when he stormed to a tournament record seven-shot victory over Daniel Berger and Henrik Stenson, and this week he will look to become the first player to retain the title and only the third player (after Tiger Woods and Johnson) to win back-to-back WGC events following his victory in August’s Bridgestone Invitational.
The 25 year old will get those historic bids started at 10.50 local time in Shanghai on Thursday in the company of World Number One and 2013 winnerJohnsonand Race to Dubai Number ThreeRahm, who enters the week knowing a good finish could yet go a long way towards a shot at the Harry Vardon Trophy in his rookie European Tour season.
Tommy Fleetwood, the man who leads The 2017 Race to Dubai with four weeks of the season remaining thanks to wins in Abu Dhabi and France and further top tens in Hong Kong, Mexico, China, America and Italy, is out at 09.40 on Thursday with two-time WGC winner and former Masters ChampionAdam Scott and BMW PGA ChampionAlex Noren.
Elsewhere, reigning European Number OneHenrik Stenson will resume his hunt for a maiden European Tour title in 2017 at 09.50 alongside another pair of Major winners inJason Day andBrooks Koepka, whileTyrrell Hatton, who won in consecutive weeks in his last two starts at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Italian Open, hits the lush fairways of Sheshan at 10.30 in the company of China’sLi Haotong and England’sMatthew Fitzpatrick.
Olympic Gold MedallistJustin Rose, meanwhile, is off at 10.40 with compatriotPaul Casey plus bronze medallistMatt Kuchar, while Ryder Cup team-matesRafa Cabrera Bello andThomas Pieterstee off at 10.10 in a three-ball completed by talented young AmericanXander Schauffele.
Two-time HSBC Champions winnerPhil Mickelsonis back in the field for the first time since 2013 and the American favourite will be out at 09.30 with countrymanPatrick Reed and Korean Players Championship winnerSi Woo Kim.
China’sZhang Xinjun will get play started in the 13th edition of the HSBC Champions at precisely 08.50 on Thursday morning.
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