| MUMBAI:
The Golfing world heads to Shanghai, and for Asia , playing host to a World Golf
Championships event is massive! The event, which was called the HSBC Champions,
has gained World Golf Championships status, and has been elevated to this new
level. Ten Sports will beam live pictures from the event, which promises to showcase
some of the best golfing talent in the world. (Please check schedule) The WGC
events are considered to be just one step below the `Majors’.
2009
will be earmarked as a historic year for Asian Golf, not only for playing a big
part in the globalization of the game, but also in producing world class champions.
37 year old Korean YE Yang became the first Asian player to win a major event,
when he won the US PGA Championship at Hazeltine in August, warding off stiff
competition, including world no. 1 Tiger Woods. Three years ago he won the event
as a relative unknown, but this time around, as he attempts to become the first
player to win the WGC-HSBC Champions twice, all eyes will be on him. Alongside
Yang, the Asian challenge for the WGC-HSBC Champions will be bolstered by an impressive
cast of champions from across the continent. Japan will provide the precocious
talent of 18 year old Ryo Ishikawa alongside established stars, Daisuke Maruyama,
Shingo Katayama and Yuta Ikeda. The experienced Jeev Milkha Singh – a winner
of 18 tournaments around the globe – spearheads the Indian challenge while
another seasoned campaigner, Thongchai Jaidee, leads the quest to take the title
to Thailand. The locals will come out in large numbers to spur on the Asians as
also their local heroes, the Chinese duo of Zhang Lian-wei and his fellow countryman
Liang Wen-chong.
Sergio Garcia won the HSBC Champions last year and will
look to win it again at the Sheshan International Golf Club. He will be joined
by an elite group of golfers spearheaded by world number one, Tiger Woods and
the ever-charismatic Phil Mickelson. There is no doubt that the fans at the WGC
HSBC Champions will be treated to magical golf. | 