Angel Cabrera’s victory at the 2007 US Open Championship has secured his chance to play for £1 million – the richest first prize in golf - in the 2007 HSBC World Match Play Championship.
Cabrera’s win takes him to the top of the 2007 HSBC Major Championships Ranking which guarantees his qualification along with defending Champion, Paul Casey, Masters Champion, Zach Johnson, and World Number One, Tiger Woods. The HSBC World Match Play Championship will take place at Wentworth Club, Surrey, from October 11-14.
As the first Argentine winner of the US Open, Cabrera held off challenges from Woods and former US Open winner, Jim Furyk, carding a final round 69 and claiming his first Major title by one stroke.
Qualification for the HSBC World Match Play Championship will be decided after the US PGA Championship in August. The leading ten players on the 2007 HSBC Major Championships Ranking automatically qualify for the 16-man field competing over the West Course at Wentworth Club.
2007 HSBC Major Championships Ranking after the 2007 US Open:
Ranking Player Points
1 Angel Cabrera 103.55
2 Zach Johnson 102.75
3 Tiger Woods 93.33
4 Jim Furyk 59.88
5 Rory Sabbatini 45.58
6 Retief Goosen 43.33
7 Jerry Kelly 38.33
8 David Toms 37.00
9 Justin Rose 35.00
10 Niclas Fasth 31.90
11 Paul Casey 26.00
12 Bubba Watson 22.00
13 Stuart Appleby 21.90
14 Scott Verplank 20.53
15 Stephen Ames 18.40
16 Tim Clark 17.88
17 Padraig Harrington 17.00
18 Vijay Singh 16.38
19 Nick Dougherty 16.33
20 Ian Poulter 13.53
The leading two European Tour Members on the 2007 HSBC European Tournaments Ranking, which accumulates the Official World Golf Ranking Points earned from the HSBC Champions, Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, Johnnie Walker Classic, BMW Championship, BMW International Open, Open De France ALSTOM and the Smurfit Kappa European Open will also qualify.
2007 HSBC European Tournaments Ranking after the 2007 BMW PGA Championship
Ranking Player Points
1 Anders Hansen 64.00
2 Paul Casey 59.40
3 Yang Yong-Eun 52.00
4 Richard Sterne 44.91
5 Anton Haig 42.91
6 Retief Goosen 39.29
7 Justin Rose 38.40
8 Miguel A Jimenez 36.08
9 Peter Hanson 23.44
10 Oliver Wilson 23.11
11 Vijay Singh 22.40
12 Padraig Harrington 21.78
13 Henrik Stenson 20.35
14 Marc Warren 19.00
15 Colin Montgomerie 18.31
16 Michael Campbell 18.20
17 Luke Donald 16.46
18 Robert Karlsson 15.23
19 Angel Cabrera 14.08
20 Thongchai Jaidee 13.13
The final two spots will go to the leading two European Tour players, not already qualified, on The European Tour Order of Merit, as of September 24.
Now in its 44th year, the tournament is officially sanctioned by The European Tour with the results counting towards The European Tour Order of Merit and Official World Golf Ranking Points. Total prize money will be £2,440,000 with all matches being decided over 36 holes.
For more information on the qualification criteria for the HSBC World Match Play Championship please visitwww.hsbcgolf.com
