By IANS,
Shanghai : Defending champion and world number two Phil Mickelson and 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman have confirmed their entries in the HSBC Champions at the Sheshan International Golf Club here November 6-9.
Mickelson, fresh from his recent win at the 2008 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, said: “I had a great time at the HSBC Champions last year. Winning such a prestigious international title was really important to me. I will be doing all I can to defend my title.”
South Africa’s Immelman, ranked 16th in the world, is looking forward to the tournament. “I am delighted to be able to include the HSBC Champions in my schedule this year. Since the inaugural event in 2005, all the world’s best players have competed there and it is a title everyone is keen to win,” he said.
Tournament winners from around the world are rewarded with an invitation to compete alongside the world’s top 50 leading players at the Sheshan International Golf Club for the joint largest prize of $5 million on offer in Asia.
The event is sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Sunshine (Southern Africa) Tour, and the China Golf Association.
A new qualifying criteria now allows the inclusion of past champions from the previous three years ensuring the inaugural winner, England’s David Howell, and the popular Korean winner in 2006, Yang Yong-eun, a place in the line-up this year.