Five of the world’s best golfers officially launched the tenth anniversary celebrations for the WGC-HSBC Champions as the Final Series continued in Shanghai.
Donned in traditional Chinese jackets, Rickie Fowler, Martin Kaymer, Justin Rose, Adam Scott and Bubba Watson hung Chinese lanterns to illuminate the spectacular Shanghai skyline from the rooftop of the Peninsular Hotel on The Bund, after receiving them from five young golfers from the HSBC China Junior Golf Programme.
This year’s WGC-HSBC Champions takes place at Sheshan International Golf Club from November 6-9, ten years after HSBC first brought the event to China. Back then, 13 of the world’s top 50 players were in the field; now 40 of the top 50 will line up for the US$8.5million event, which is the second tournament in The Race to Dubai’s Final Series.
Scott, the World Number Two, said: “The WGC-HSBC Champions is a first class event that always attracts the very best players from all over the world. The first ten years of the HSBC Champions have been incredibly successful and I am sure the next ten and beyond will be even better.”
Fowler, who has finished in the top five at all four Majors this year, added: “This is the place to be. For the modern golfer and the modern game China is here to stay and this tournament has acted as a beacon to the very best players around the world. We love to play here and the support from the fans in Shanghai is something really special too. To win this tournament in its tenth year really would be an achievement.”
The players were joined by Peter Wong, Chief Executive Asia Pacific, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and Giles Morgan, Global Head of Sponsorship & Events, HSBC Holdings plc.
Morgan said: “Ten years on and it feels like China’s incredible golfing journey has reached a landmark destination. When we first brought this tournament to China in 2005 our ambition was to create a world class international golf tournament in an emerging market, and a decade later it’s clear that WGC-HSBC Champions has acted as a major catalyst for the growth of golf in Asia.
“The fact that for the second year running we have attracted 40 of the world’s top 50 players to Shanghai says it all. It’s a great way to celebrate ten years and we’re excited about the future of golf in China, starting with another world class tournament this week.”
The star-studded field also includes World Number Four Sergio Garcia, World Number Five Henrik Stenson, FedEx Cup winner Billy Horschel, three time 2014 PGA Tour winner Jimmy Walker, Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama, two-time 2014 PGA Tour winner Chris Kirk, US Ryder Cup star Jordan Spieth and 11 of the victorious European team from The 2014 Ryder Cup.
The tournament boasts the toughest qualification criteria of all the World Golf Championships, with the majority of the field qualifying only by winning a key tournament on their Tours or by being ranked in the world’s top 50.
