Several of the best players from the Asian Tour will be bracing for their next challenge when they take on the world’s biggest stars at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions next week.
As the Asian Tour Order of Merit leader, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond will spearhead the Tour’s challenge against a star-studded field where world number two Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland will headline the event along with a host of Major winners at the Sheshan International Golf Club.
Jazz has come a long way since losing his Asian Tour card in 2016.
After making his Asian Tour breakthrough in Bangladesh in 2017, the Thai has seen his fortune soared with another win on home soil last year followed by another two victories at the National Opens of Singapore and Korea this year.
“It’s been a really good year with the two wins on the Asian Tour and other top finishes both in Asia and Japan and I feel my game has continued to develop in the right direction.
“It’ll then be a nice way to finish the Asian Swing with my first ever appearance in the World Golf Championships at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. We’ll have the top golfers gathering from all the international tours and I’m looking forward to it,” said Jazz.
Along with Jazz, other Asian Tour members who will be making their debuts at the WGC-HSBC Champions include Australia’s Daniel Nisbet, Korea’s Taehee Lee, the Japanese trio of Mikumu Horikawa, Yosuke Asaji and Masahiro Kawamura, American Kurt Kitayama, Australia’s Jake Mcleod and Jbe Kruger of South Africa.
Liang Wenchong, the 2007 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, is among the seven Chinese players who will be carrying the hopes of the host country and is no stranger to the playing at the WGC-HSBC Champions where his best result was tied-15th in 2013.
South Africa’s Justin Harding is also hoping to make another impression on the world stage after his exploits at the Masters tournament in April where he surprised the field by finishing in a commendable tied-12 position in April.
Australia’s Scott Hend is among the 12 Asian Tour members who will step up to the tee and will be looking better his best result which was a tied-19th finish at the WGC-HSBC Champions in 2015.
“I’m looking forward to playing in another WGC event in Shanghai at the end of the month. Sheshan is a great golf course and I look forward to playing well there,” said Hend, a 10-time Asian Tour winner.
