Villegas to figure in China

Charismatic Colombian Camilo Villegas, one of the most exciting young talents in the game, will bring his own brand of swashbuckling golf to the fairways of the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai from November 6 -9 when he lines up in the field for the HSBC Champions. The 26 year old with the movie star looks will supplement the galaxy of stars already confirmed for the fourth staging of the US$5 million tournament which is co-sanctioned by The European Tour, the Asian Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Sunshine Tour and the China Golf Association.
It will not be Villegas’ first taste of the special HSBC Champions atmosphere, however, having made his debut in the tournament which heralded the start of the 2007 European Tour International Schedule, and where he finished in a tie for 23rd place in the event won by Korea’s Y E Yang. “I know what to expect because I played in Shanghai two years ago,” he said. “But I am so glad that I didn’t miss out on it this year.” The inclusion of Villegas in the field further strengthens what is already a superb line up; headed by defending champion and World Number Two Phil Mickelson of the United States and Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, a winner of two Major Championships in 2008. In addition, reigning Masters Tournament Champion Trevor Immelman will tee up alongside players of the calibre of Sergio Garcia, Anthony Kim, Geoff Ogilvy, Adam Scott and Henrik Stenson. Villegas has, of course, already illustrated he is more than capable of winning in the most exalted of company having done just that on no less than two occasions in the United States last month. There, he won the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in Missouri before, three weeks later, he captured The Tour Championship presented by Coca Cola at East Lake Golf Club in Georgia. Those two events were, of course, the final two counting events in the US PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Series, victories which saw Villegas take second place in the Series behind Fiji’s Vijay Singh. “I’m in the form of my life and I can’t wait to take on all the other top players in Shanghai, he said. “Obviously Phil Mickelson is there to defend his title but I’m definitely going there to win.” Of course, the HSBC Champions also heralds the start of the inaugural Race to Dubai on The 38th European Tour International Schedule, a global journey which will comprise some 53 tournaments in 26 destinations before reaching a thrilling crescendo with The Dubai World Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai in November 2009. Playing on The European Tour International Schedule and, hence, vying for The Race to Dubai has captured the imagination of all the top players across the world and Villegas is no exception. “The Race to Dubai is going to catch a lot of players’ attention and it will be nice to see some of the US guys come across the Pond,” he said.“I am joining The European Tour for the 2009 season because I’ve always wanted to play around the world but if you’re not in the top 50 (on the Official World Golf Ranking) then that is almost impossible. “But I’ve had a great finish to the year and managed to crack the top ten and once you do that and are guaranteed a place in the Major Championships and the World Golf Championships, then the maths becomes a little easier. I haven’t mapped out my full schedule for the year just yet, I’m still working on that, but I’m looking forward very much to getting under way in China next week.”