The last three Major Champions, Martin Kaymer, Louis Oosthuizen and Graeme McDowell, plus World Number Three Lee Westwood have confirmed they will tee up in the WGC-HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club from November 4 - 7.
Also joining World Number One Tiger Woods and World Number Two and defending champion Phil Mickelson are Ian Poulter, winner of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, and Hunter Mahan, champion of the recent WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, ensuring the world’s best players of 2010 are all in Shanghai trying to win the coveted ‘Champion of Champions’ title and a share of the US$7million prize fund.
With so many star names already in the field, the 2010 WGC-HSBC Champions looks set to build on last year’s success when, elevated to the illustrious World Golf Championship tier of events for the first time, it attracted the strongest field ever seen in Asia with seven of the world’s top ten and 20 of the world’s top 30 golfers.
Westwood, winner of the inaugural Dubai World Golf Championship last November, finished second in both the 2010 Masters Tournament and The Open Championship and is looking for a big win to finish off his year.
“I have had a great year in terms of getting my world ranking right up there and have been extremely consistent throughout,” he said. “However, there is no doubt I’d love to win a big title like the WGC-HSBC Champions to finish off my year on a high note. I haven’t won a World Golf Championship before so it is a real goal of mine and the fact that the WGC-HSBC Champions is played in China makes it the most global one of all and the one I would most like to win.”
McDowell, who claimed his first Major at the US Open in June, is looking forward to returning to China as a Major Champion. “It certainly gives you a little boost when you are announced on the tee as a Major Champion and in a tournament known as the ‘Champion of Champions’ I hope it will give me a little bit of an edge,” said the Northern Irishman, who finished tied 16th last year.
“Last year I shot 65 in the second round among three rounds in the 70s so I know the Sheshan course suits me if I play well and I am really looking forward to having another go at winning this great event.”
Oosthuizen became only the fourth South African to win a Major when he won The 2010 Open Championship, finishing seven shots clear of the field at St Andrews in July.
He said: “Winning The Open Championship is a huge turning point in my career and means I go to Majors and World Golf Championships with far higher expectations than I may have done in the past. I have played in the WGC-HSBC Champions three times now and have always enjoyed the experience very much. From the great hospitality to the immaculate condition of the Sheshan course, it is always a great week and one I look forward to very much.”
Germany’s Kaymer, winner of the final Major of 2010, the USPGA Championship, and current leader of The European Tour’s Race to Dubai, said: “I knew I had already secured my place in the WGC-HSBC Champions when I won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in January so it was nice to take the pressure off by making sure of my place in the field so early in the year.
“Winning my first Major was a fantastic end to the summer but now I really want to keep my place at the top of The Race to Dubai and finish the year off well. I think a win at the WGC-HSBC Champions will be very significant in both the end of year European and World Rankings, especially with Tiger, Phil and Lee in the field.”
