HSBC Champions preview
Yes, it’s November 2008, but the European Tour actually begins its 2009 season this weekend at the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.
Invitations to this $5 million tournament were extended to European, Asian, Australasian and Sunshine tour winners and the top 50 in the world ranking on Oct. 13.
Last year, Phil Mickelson blew a three-shot lead with seven holes to play, then beat Englishmen Ross Fisher and Lee Westwood with a birdie on the second playoff hole.
Mickelson leads a good field this week, which includes Robert Karlsson, Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia, Camilo Villegas, Anthony Kim, Trevor Immelman, K.J. Choi, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson.
Garcia is the WagerWeb.com favorite at +750.
More than half of the world’s top 20 ranked players have come to China for what is the start of a huge few weeks of golf in Asia, with big-money events in Singapore and Hong Kong to follow.
“It’s very exciting for me to have won this tournament last year and I look forward to trying to defend it,” said Mickelson, who this week said he wouldn’t be joining the European Tour this year as was rumored. Lefty is +850 on WagerWeb.com this week.
This tourney also kicks off the Race to Dubai (which replaces the Order of Merit) – the new points race culminating in $20 million in prize and bonus money next November at the 60-player Dubai World Championship.
Harrington, who won two majors this past season, will be flying to China from this season’s European Tour finale at the Volvo Masters in Spain, where he narrowly lost out to Karlsson in the Order of Merit race.
“I’m keen to go play,” said the world No. 5, who is +900 on WagerWeb.com this week. “I’m trying not to get into my winter mode of changing things and practicing. I have two more weeks to go, so just try and stick with it and then we can do what we like.”
Villegas and Kim, the world No. 7 seven and 8, have decided to play on the European Tour and the U.S. PGA next year. Villegas has climbed from No. 56 in the world this season on the back of two wins on the PGA Tour during the FedEx Cup.
“I’m in the form of my life and I can’t wait to take on all the other top players in Shanghai,” said the 26-year-old.
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