A world class field, featuring ten of the top 20 players from the Official World Golf Ranking, will assemble at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai this week as the third staging of the HSBC Champions tournament heralds the start of The 2008 European Tour International Schedule.
After the thrilling climax to the 2007 season at Club de Golf Valderrama last week where England’s Justin Rose clinched The European Tour Order of Merit title, attention now turns to 2008 and the quest for an explosive start in the race for the Harry Vardon Trophy, thanks to the impressive contracted prize fund of US$5 million which features a first prize of €575,445.
David Howell did just that when he ousted Tiger Woods for the inaugural HSBC Champions title, the Englishman leading the way in the 2006 Order of Merit race for most of the season before being overtaken in the final straight by eventual winner Padraig Harrington and runner-up Paul Casey.
Howell is not in the field for the 2008 tournament but both Harrington and Casey are, headlining an eclectic European Tour challenge which also features players such as South Africa’s Ernie Els – pipped by Rose for the 2007 Order of Merit – Spain’s Sergio Garcia, Fiji’s Vijay Singh, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and Angel Cabrera of Argentina.
Being in Shanghai, the Asian challenge is naturally strong too, led by defending champion Y E Yang of Korea, but perhaps the bulk of the local support will centre on veteran Chinese professional Zhang Lian-wei and emerging talent Liang Wen-chong, who claimed his maiden European Tour title in March when he won the Clariden Leu Singapore Masters.
Elsewhere, however, international interest will also focus on World Number Two Phil Mickelson who is making his first competitive appearance in China.
The 37 year old American, who finished second behind Woods on the 2007 US PGA Tour Money List, was beaten in a play-off by Frenchman Gregory Havret in The Barclays Scottish Open in July and the left hander admitted that outing to Scotland, plus this week’s trip to China, was the beginning of a more expansive playing schedule.
“The reason I didn’t play more (tournaments abroad) in the past was the PGA Tour schedule going so late and then my kids were not able to travel,” said the three time Major winner. “They were too young and it would have been too tough on them with the time changes plus they wouldn’t have appreciated the many things that different countries have to offer.
“But now that my oldest child, Amanda, is eight, she is reading about China and many other countries worldwide as is my second daughter Sophie who is six. My son Evan, who is four, although he is not learning as much, he is easy to travel with and because we are now able to travel as a family, I fully expect to go to many wonderful places.
“China is a country I’ve heard so much about. I’ve been reading about it myself and I’m ecstatic to be going, to see some of the sights as well as to compete in the golf tournament. I know the game of golf is booming in China and I’m looking forward to playing there.”
With a restricted field, the first two editions of the HSBC Champions tournament has not featured a cut but this year for the first time it will, the number of players having expanded to 89 in total with the last two spots, after the Volvo Masters, being filled by Sweden’s Peter Hanson and Denmark’s Søren Kjeldsen who, together with England’s Simon Dyson, lost out in the play-off to Rose at Valderrama.
Therefore, as is the norm at all European Tour events, there will be a cut, leaving the top 65 players and those tied for 65th place to contest the weekend’s action.
