Paul Casey and David Howell, second and third respectively on The 2006 European Tour Order of Merit, will both be vying for an HSBC double when they get their 2007 campaigns underway at the HSBC Champions tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai, China, next week.
Casey will be aiming to add the HSBC Champions title to the HSBC World Match Play Championship he won in record style in September. Casey left American Shaun Micheel in his slipstream by winning the 36 hole final at Wentworth Club by a staggering 10 and 8 margin. That victory, Casey’s third of the season, catapulted the Englishman to the top of the Order of Merit, a position he held until overtaken by Ireland’s Padraig Harrington on the final day of the Volvo Masters.
Casey will also be looking for a hat-trick of Chinese titles following his previous successes in the 2005 TCL Classic and the 2006 Volvo China Open.
“It is not often you get the chance to claim a double and a hat-trick in the same week so I am particularly looking forward to the HSBC Champions,” said Casey. “Last year’s event was a great week and the strength of the field makes it an important one to win.”
Howell won in Shanghai a year ago when he held off the World Number One Tiger Woods in the inaugural HSBC Champions. Howell’s victory put him firmly on top of the Order of Merit until being passed by Casey and subsequently Harrington late in the year.
“Winning the HSBC Champions last year kick-started my best season on Tour,” said Howell. “To finish top in an event with so many of the world’s best players – and especially holding off Tiger’s challenge at the weekend - gave me a real boost and I am looking forward to my title defence.”
The US$5 million HSBC Champions will be played from November 9-12 at the Sheshan International Golf Club with winners from four leading golf tours and the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking qualifying. The event is jointly sanctioned by The European Tour, Asian Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Sunshine (Southern Africa) Tour, and the China Golf Association.
