Mickelson and Immelman Set for Shanghai

Defending Champion and World Number Two, Phil Mickelson and 2008 Masters Champion, Trevor Immelman, have confirmed that they will be competing in the HSBC Champions at the Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai, from November 6-9, 2008, the first event of The 2009 European Tour International Schedule. Mickelson, fresh from his recent win at the 2008 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, his second title of the year, said: “I had a great time at the HSBC Champions last year. Winning such a prestigious international title was really important to me as I didn’t enjoy reading that I hadn’t won outside of the US since 1993 every time I teed it up at the British Open! It was also fantastic to have my family there to enjoy the experience of visiting China and we certainly saw some amazing sights. The “Champion of Champions” title is a great one to have and I will be doing all I can to defend my title in November.” South Africa’s Trevor Immelman, World Ranked Nunmber 16, enthused: “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. Obviously winning the Masters, my first Major title, was the most important moment of my career so far but I aim to build on that success by winning many more titles.” Giles Morgan, HSBC’s Group Head of Sponsorship, commented: “Last year people were debating whether the HSBC Champions field was the strongest ever seen in Asia. Then earlier this year, there was more discussion as to whether the HSBC Women’s Champions was the best golf event ever staged in Asia, because all of the best players in the world were competing in Singapore. We’ve set the bar high for ourselves, but we have our defending champion returning and we have the first Major winner of the year coming, so we’ve made a very strong start." 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 largest prize fund on offer in Asia of US$5 million. The event is co-sanctioned by The European Tour, Asian 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, Yong-eun Yang, will be assured of a place in the line-up this year.