EUROPEAN TOUR - WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS-
HSBC CHAMPIONS, Shenshan International Golf Club, Shanghai, China - The HSBC
Champions was added to the World Golf Championships umbrella earlier this
year, and the improved status has helped the field grow even better than
before.
Sergio Garcia birdied the second playoff hole last November to defeat Oliver
Wilson. Those two finished one stroke clear of Peter Hanson and Geoff Ogilvy.
All four of those players will be on hand at Shenshan International Golf Club
this week when 15 of the top 20 players in the world are slated to play.
That group includes two-time runner-up Tiger Woods, 2008 winner Phil
Mickelson, Paul Casey, Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington, Henrik Stenson,
Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Stewart Cink, Sean O'Hair, Ogilvy, last week's winner
in Singapore Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, Rory McIlroy and Camilo Villegas.
Y.E. Yang famously beat Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship in August, but
those who know the European Tour know that Yang also bested Woods at this
event at the start of the 2007 season.
Yang closed with a three-under 69 to hold off Woods, who finished two strokes
back despite a final-round 67.
Garcia's playoff win last year was the second playoff in the first four years
of this event. Mickelson took down Westwood and Fisher in extra holes in 2008.
The field lost one big name over the weekend when Masters champion Angel
Cabrera withdrew after losing in the consolation match at the Volvo World
Match Play Championship.
Golf Channel has four hours of coverage for every round.
The European Tour heads to Hong Kong next week for the penultimate event in
the inaugural Race to Dubai. Wen-tang Lin is the defending champion at the UBS
Hong Kong Open. The following week is the inaugural Dubai World Championship.
LPGA TOUR
MIZUNO CLASSIC, Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club, Shima-shi, Mie, Japan -
Jiyai Shin carded three rounds in the 60s last year to cruise to a six-stroke
win over Mayu Hattori.
The victory was Shin's second of the season and she has won four more times
since.
For five straight years, Annika Sorenstam ruled this event. From 2001-2005,
Sorenstam won the tournament every year. She set the 18-, 36- and 54-hole
scoring records in 2003.
There is no television coverage for this event.
The LPGA returns to North America next week, but remains outside of the United
States. Angela Stanford is slated to defend her title at the Lorena Ochoa
Invitational in Guadalajara.
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