Shanghai, October 30: World number two Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland is looking forward to closing the gap on the world rankings as he makes his eighth appearance at the WGC HSBC Champions which starts on Thursday.

Fresh off a tied-third finish in Japan last week, McIlroy will return to action, paired together with defending champion Xander Schauffele of the United States and England’s Justin Rose who won the WGC HSBC Champions in 2017 in the opening two rounds.

With world number one Brooks Koepka forced to withdraw from the year’s final World Golf Championships event due to injury, McIlroy knows he has every opportunity to push himself closer towards the summit of the Official World Golf Ranking with good result this week.

Schauffele will be hoping to recover in time and deliver another standout performance at the Sheshan International Golf Club.

The American fell sick in Japan last week and is still trying to shake off its effects, opting to withdraw from the day’s pro-am as a precaution.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond is hopeful that being in elite company this week will help him rediscover his best form.

The current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader is making his debut at the WGC HSBC Champions and is expected to spearhead the Asian charge this week.

Did you know?

• The WGC-HSBC Champions will feature 35 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking.
• Rory McIlroy is making his eighth appearance at the WGC-HSBC Champions. His best finish at the WGC-HSBC Champions is fourth in 2009.
• McIlroy has two career World Golf Championships victories- 2014 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and 2015 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
• He started the year at world number eight and moved up to number two through his three victories, including The Players Championship and Tour Championship, along with runner-up finishes in two World Golf Championships.
• Schauffele defeated Tony Finau on the first playoff hole with a two-putt birdie for his first career World Golf Championships victory
• He birdied the final two holes on his way to the lowest round of the day in the final round at the 2018 WGC-HSBC Champions with a four-under 68 to force a playoff with Finau after entering the day three shots back.
• Schauffele remains the only player in the field in 2018 to shoot in the 60s in both the third and final round (69-68)
• Schaueffle is making his third career start at the WGC-HSBC Champions. He finished tied-46^th in his maiden appearance in 2017.
• Jazz Janewattananond posted a tied-65^th and 57^th finish in Korea and Japan respectively prior to his arrival in Shanghai.
• Jazz broke into top-100 on the OWGR after winning his third Asian Tour title in Singapore in January and marked his career-best ranking when he rose to 52nd position following his fourth victory in Korea in June.
• Jazz’s tied-14 finish at the 2019 PGA Championship, which was his second Major start, was the best-ever result by a Thai player in that Major tournament.
• There are seven Chinese players are in the field. They are Bai Zhengkai, Dou Zecheng, Li Haotong, Liang Wenchong, Wu Ashun, Carl Yuan, Zhang Xinjun.
• Seven past champions of the WGC-HSBC Champions are in the field this week. They are Phil Mickelson (2009), Francesco Molinari (2010), Ian Poulter (2012), Bubba Watson (2014), Hideki Matsuyama (2016), Justin Rose (2017), Xander Schauffele (2018).

Rory McIlroy (Nir)

It’s always good to be back. Sheshan has become probably one of the best venues and courses that we come to every year. I’ve always enjoyed playing here. I’ve played well. I feel like the course suits my game and I like this tournament ever since I started coming here in 2009.

It has been 10 years and the course and the tournament have kept on improving and progressing. It has turned into one of the better events that we play every year, so I’m excited to be back. I didn’t play so well last year here, so I’ve got a good opportunity to play well this week. There’s quite a bit to play for until the end of the year. I want to get as many World Ranking points as I possibly can and try to close that gap on the number one. So you know, I’m pretty motivated coming into the week. I feel like this year went very well. I played very consistently. I think last week in Japan was my 17th top-10 of the year, so I’ve played consistent golf and I’ve won a few times, as well. It was great to get the win at THE TOUR Championship and win the FedExCup. I started this year maybe like 8th or 9th in the world, so to see that progress and to play so well and get myself back up to number two with a chance of closing that gap. If I play well the next few weeks, you know, I’ll have a great platform going into next year. I’ve achieved most things that I’ve wanted to this year and once I end this calendar year, I’m going to take a couple months off in December and January, and  thenreset goals and assess where I’m at and then go again.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha)

I’ve been trying to make the best of this Asian swing but it has not turned out the way I wanted. But it’s all good as it’s a brand new week and I can reset and do better this week. This is my first WGC event and it’s always a good experience to play against the best players in the world. I’m just very excited about this week. It’s always good each time you get a chance to step up your game and I’m just looking forward to tomorrow.

Xander Schauffele (Usa)

It’s very special to be back. Obviously with my family ties, mom being from Chinese Taipei and having family all over Asia, it’s the biggest tournament (win) of my career, and it was a great confidence booster. It has allowed me to gain self-belief and that I do belong out here. I’m about to go to the range after this and we’ll see how fast I can swing on TrackMan. My family is my closest team. They make me feel very comfortable, especially, for example, at a time right now when I’m sick. I don’t want to do a whole lot. My family will step in and take care of a lot of things for me. Besides that, my dad has been with me since I was very young, every step of the way, same as my mom, supporting from home when she couldn’t come out. For both of them to be here now and sharing this experience with me on the road and trying to win tournaments is very special for all of us.

Li Haotong (Chn)

It’s a good feeling coming back to play at the WGC-HSBC Champions. I prepare for this tournament the same way as how I do for every other events. In terms of the golf course, it seems to be more challenging this year with the thicker rough and faster greens. Chinese players have been playing well in recent years and I feel we are beginning to close the gap with some of the best players in the world. We just need more exposure to the various golf courses around the world. As for myself, I’m hoping for a breakthrough this week especially at this event which has lots of world ranking points. It was really nice to see Tiger win again last week, considering what he has gone through and his comeback is legendary.

Justin Harding (Rsa)

It’s absolutely nice to be back in Shanghai and getting the chance to play in this event again. I got the opportunity to play in it last year due to my success on the Asian Tour. I’m looking forward to having another good week and try to finish the year with a bang. It has been a strange year to be honest. I had a good run of form and then it kind of took a slight dip in the middle. I felt like I was always playing my way into the next week and there was no real opportunity to take a break. And when I did have the chance to take a break, it was completely away from golf. It was not something I was used to. Normally when I take breaks, I usually practise a bit or have an odd round or two. It has been a learning curve. I didn’t really think I was going to continue that kind of form and posting those kind of results on a consistent basis. But I’m hoping I’m now out of my little rut and see if I can have some good finishes to round off the year.

Scott Hend (Aus)

It’s a great golf course and event with lots of great players here this week. It’s obviously important to play well this week as the event’s jampacked with lots of world ranking points and I need that to move up the ladder and get back to the position where I feel like I should be. With the strength of the field this week, you cannot get away by playing average golf and expect to finish top-20 or something. You got to play really well. My season in the last four months have been pretty average because of a few club changes I have made. I’m trying to get back and play solid golf again.

Shanghai, October 29: China’s Li Haotong is ready to carry the hopes of the country as he spearheads its charge at the WGC HSBC Champions which starts on Thursday.

The world number 59 is under no illusion it will be an easy task with the star-studded field glittered by 10 of the world’s top-20 players at the Sheshan International Golf Club this week.

However, Li believes that with many Chinese players making several eye-catching performances worldwide recently, it is possible to harbour bold ambitions and make that breakthrough at the season’s final World Golf Championships event which is also the only WGC event to be staged in Asia.

South Africa’s Justin Harding is meanwhile hoping to recover from his mini slump where he has missed the cut in three of his last five events.

Harding, a two-time Asian Tour winner, started the year promisingly with a win in Qatar followed by a creditable tied-12 finish at The Masters Tournament where he was making his debut.

However, the South African’s form has been erratic in the last few months which he now hopes to correct and end the year on a high note.

Like Harding, Australia’s Scott Hend is also looking for consistency after lifting his 10^th Asian Tour title in Malaysia earlier this year.

Hend has not reached similar heights since his success in March, struggling to lift his game since making changes to his game.

Did you know?

• Li Haotong is making his seventh appearance at the tournament with his best finish coming in 2010 where he finished a tie for seventh.
• Li turned professional in 2011 and captured his first title in 2014 at the Jianye Tianzhu Henan Open.
• The Chinese has three top-10 finishes, including a tied ninth place finish at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play this year.
• Justin Harding made his WGC-HSBC Champions debut last year where he finished tied-46^th.
• He started the year strongly with a win at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in March, followed by a tied-second finish in Kenya the following week.
• Harding posted a tied-12^th result in his debut at the Masters Tournament.
• Justin Harding won his first Asian Tour title in his first start on the 2018 Asian Tour season with his win in Indonesia in July last year. He immediately took up the Tour membership after his victory.
• Harding later claimed a six-shot victory in Thailand to become the first player since 2011 to win back-to-back titles on the Asian Tour.
• The South African ended his 2018 Asian Tour season in third place on the Order of Merit.
• Scott Hend won his 10th Asian Tour title at the Maybank Championship in March.
• He is the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit title in 2016
• All of Hend’s wins have come in Asia.
• Hend is the fourth player after Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng to obtain 10 wins or more on the Asian Tour.
• Hend held the number one spot on the Asian Tour Order of Merit for 13 weeks before being dislodged by Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond after the Thai won the Kolon Korea Open in June.
• Hend’s best result at the WGC-HSBC Champions is tied-19^th in 2015.

Shanghai, October 25: Several of the best players from the Asian Tour will be bracing for their next challenge when they take on the world’s biggest stars at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions next week.

As the Asian Tour Order of Merit leader, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond will spearhead the Tour’s challenge against a star-studded field where world number two Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland will headline the event along with a host of Major winners at the Sheshan International Golf Club.

Jazz has come a long way since losing his Asian Tour card in 2016.

After making his Asian Tour breakthrough in Bangladesh in 2017, the Thai has seen his fortune soared with another win on home soil last year followed by another two victories at the National Opens of Singapore and Korea this year.

“It’s been a really good year with the two wins on the Asian Tour and other top finishes both in Asia and Japan and I feel my game has continued to develop in the right direction.

“It’ll then be a nice way to finish the Asian Swing with my first ever appearance in the World Golf Championships at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. We’ll have the top golfers gathering from all the international tours and I’m looking forward to it,” said Jazz.

Along with Jazz, other Asian Tour members who will be making their debuts at the WGC-HSBC Champions include Australia’s Daniel Nisbet, Korea’s Taehee Lee, the Japanese trio of Mikumu Horikawa, Yosuke Asaji and Masahiro Kawamura, American Kurt Kitayama, Australia’s Jake Mcleod and Jbe Kruger of South Africa.

Liang Wenchong, the 2007 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, is among the seven Chinese players who will be carrying the hopes of the host country and is no stranger to the playing at the WGC-HSBC Champions where his best result was tied-15^th in 2013.

South Africa’s Justin Harding is also hoping to make another impression on the world stage after his exploits at the Masters tournament in April where he surprised the field by finishing in a commendable tied-12 position in April.

Australia’s Scott Hend is among the 12 Asian Tour members who will step up to the tee and will be looking better his best result which was a tied-19^th finish at the WGC-HSBC Champions in 2015.

“I’m looking forward to playing in another WGC event in Shanghai at the end of the month. Sheshan is a great golf course and I look forward to playing well there,” said Hend, a 10-time Asian Tour winner.

Ends.

Shanghai, October 11: Reigning Open champion Shane Lowry, 2018 Master Champion Patrick Reed, 2017 Masters Champion, Sergio Garcia and multiple major winners Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson have confirmed their entry into ‘Asia’s Major’ taking place in Shanghai at the end of this month to compete for the coveted WGC-HSBC Champions title.

With Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari and Justin Rose already committed, reigning Champion Xander Schauffele will have his work cut out come October 31 to November 3, 2019 at Sheshan International Golf Club, where the field will be awash with Major Champions trying to claim Asia’s most prestigious golf trophy.

Other major winners adding yet more international star-power to the field include 2016 Masters Champion, Danny Willett, fresh from his win at the 2019 BMW PGA Championship, 2017 Open Champion, Henrik Stenson and 2010 Open Champion, Louis Oosthuizen ensuring that the WGC-HSBC Champions will be the ‘must attend’ event of the season as the world’s best golfers compete for an increased prize fund of US$10.25 million.

Irish star, Shane Lowry won his first major at Royal Portrush earlier this summer, ensuring a fairy-tale ending to what was The Open’s first visit to Ireland since 1951. With his sights now set firmly on qualifying for the 2020 Ryder Cup, Lowry is eying the WGC-HSBC Champions as an important landmark to set him on his way.

The popular Irishman said. “I am looking forward to turning up in Shanghai as a major Champion to compete for the final World Golf Championships title of the year. It has been a very special time since winning The Open and I have honestly enjoyed every minute of it.

However, with the European Ryder Cup Qualifying process kicking off earlier this month, I am now looking to finish the season on a high and the WGC-HSBC Champions is where I have all my focus. Even although it is early days in the qualifying process, getting myself up the Ryder Cup standings will certainly help me relax over the off season and enjoy Christmas all the more.”

American Phil Mickelson is hugely popular amongst the Chinese fans, having first played at the Sheshan International Golf Club in 2007 when he went on to win the title on his debut.

He explained: “I can’t wait to return to Shanghai. My family and I have such great memories of our visits there and I love playing golf in front of my Chinese fans, who bring such a fresh excitement and energy to the course that you can’t help but enjoy every minute. I am feeling in the best shape of my life, having been working out really hard, so I feel full of energy and ready to end the season with the best possible result.”   

Jonathan Castleman, HSBC’s Global Head of Brand Partnerships, said: “We are delighted that this thrilling line up of Major Winners will be joining the stellar cast we have lined up in Shanghai later this month.  Shane Lowry is reigning Champion of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and The Open, of which we are a Patron.  We look forward with anticipation to see if he can make it a hat trick of trophies for 2019.  Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson are all our previous Champions at Sheshan so it is great to welcome them back to Shanghai for Asia’s Major.

WGC-HSBC Champions has gained an unrivalled reputation by assembling elite fields and delivering incredible experiences for all, there is simply nothing like it in Asian golf. This tournament has been a catalyst for so many exciting developments for golf in China at all levels and we look forward to that journey continuing.”

Fans can take advantage of a special ticket promotion this month offering selected tickets at discounts of up to 25% off ending October 27.  Juniors aged 18 years and under can enter for free when accompanied by a ticketed adult with additional discounts also available for students and families.

For more details on the WGC-HSBC Champions and all ticket information, please visit https://www.hsbcgolf.com/mens or follow the official WeChat Mini Program: HSBCChampions

Hong Kong, October 22: Major Champions Francesco Molinari and Patrick Reed will tee it up at the Hong Kong Open from November 28 – December 1, 2019.

World Number 11 Molinari returns to Hong Kong Golf Club for the first time in 10 years following a remarkable run of success on the European Tour in 2018, in which he secured a first Rolex Series title at the BMW PGA Championship, a maiden Major victory at The 147th Open Championship and played a starring role in Europe’s Ryder Cup win in France – claiming five points from five matches.

The 36-year-old then rounded off a memorable year by becoming the first Italian to win the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex, holding off Masters Champion Reed and 2017 Race to Dubai Champion Tommy Fleetwood to finish the year as the European Tour’s Number One.

The Italian’s most memorable appearance in Hong Kong came in 2008 when he and Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy lost in a play-off to Lin Wen-tang.

“I have good memories from the Hong Kong Open and it’s certainly the goal to go one better this time around,” said Molinari, a six-time European Tour winner.

“It will be a great way to kick off my 2020 Race to Dubai campaign, hopefully getting some points on the board early in the season, and to play a world-renowned course. It is always an enjoyable week on Tour, so I am looking forward to going back.”

World Number 17 Reed will make his fourth appearance in Hong Kong’s longest standing professional sporting event – in its 61st edition this year – having played in 2015, 2016 and 2018 at the famed Hong Kong Golf Club.

The 29-year-old won the Northern Trust on the PGA Tour in August, and after finishing tied fourth at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, he will again be pushing for his first regular European Tour victory in Hong Kong.

“It’s great coming back to play the Hong Kong Open for another year,” said Reed. “I’ve been saying for a while now that I would love to win in countries all over the world, so I hope I can be in the mix come Sunday at the Hong Kong Open.”

Hosted by Hong Kong Golf Club, which is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year, the event continues to play a decisive role in shaping the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings as it is one of the last few remaining events on the Tour’s schedule.

William Doo, Jr., Captain of Hong Kong Golf Club, said: “The addition of Francesco and Patrick to the field is wonderful news for the championship’s many fans and we very much look forward to welcoming them both to Hong Kong and our club in just a few weeks’ time.

“Together with Henrik Stenson, these three major winners will add real star-quality to a fantastic week of world-class golf at one of Asia’s most historic tournaments.”

Kenneth Lam, President of the Hong Kong Golf Association, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Francesco Molinari back to Hong Kong after a ten-year absence and to have Patrick Reed return once again.

“It is great for the development and growth of golf in Hong Kong for local fans to have the opportunity to watch major winners such as these in action. We look forward to watching them as they compete with their peers to lift the historic Hong Kong Open trophy.”

Tickets available to purchase via Ticketflap – https://www.ticketflap.com/thehongkongopen2019

The tournament is free to attend on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th November for all. Under 21s go free for all four tournament days. For more information see www.thehongkongopen.com

The Hong Kong Open has also been recognized as an “M” Mark event to help enhance the image of Hong Kong. “M” Mark is awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolizing an intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory sports calendar.

Ends.