Golf
Monday, 26 October 2009 02:10
Written by WGC-HSBC Champions

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Originally conceived as a tournament of champions for the world, the HSBC Champions will take the natural, and deserved, step up the ladder of golfing hierarchy next month when it assumes the mantle of a World Golf Championship event for the first time.

Already established as a title most players desired on their respective CVs, its elevation to one of only four WGC events throughout the season has heightened that yearning amongst the game’s elite to an extent where a truly world class field will assemble at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai from November 5-8.

The European Tour was one of four original sanctioning Tours – in addition to the China Golf Association – whose joint vision helped the HSBC Champions flourish over the past four years and European Tour Chief Executive George O’Grady was naturally delighted to see the championship progress to WGC level.

“The HSBC Champions has been a great force for uniting the world,” he said. “It united all the original sanctioning Tours – Asia, Europe, Australasia and South Africa – and has now incorporated Japan and the PGA Tour in America so it truly has been a force to bring the players’ organisations of the world together.

“We are very proud to have been part of that original concept. When it began, the concept of a tournament of champions for the world was a new one but it has endured and I am delighted to see it retaining that philosophy of winning as a means of qualification, within the boundaries of the WGC.

“The HSBC commitment has always been to run the championship exceptionally professionally, giving the players a tremendous welcome and presenting to them an outstanding golf course which has a history of producing great winners.

“The tournament has consistently pushed for quality, a vision led by Giles Morgan and his entire team at HSBC, a team backed up by promoters IMG and us here at The European Tour. Giles has provided a clear and consistent leadership and is someone, I know, who will stop at nothing to ensure everything about the WGC – HSBC Champions is perfect.”

The WGC - HSBC Champions is the fourth and final World Golf Championship of the 2009 season and the only one played outside the United States of America.

The other three were; the WGC – Accenture Match Play in Arizona in February, won by Geoff Ogilvy; the WGC – CA Championship in Florida in March, won by Phil Mickelson; and the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio in August, won by Tiger Woods.

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