Many of the best golfers in the world will converge this week on Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai for the WGC-HSBC Champions, the biggest tournament of the year in Asia.
Some are already calling it Asia's major.
Lee Westwood, among others, believes that dream should become a reality.
"I like the tradition of the majors," the No. 2 player in the world said a few weeks ago. "I think the men's game has got it pretty much right, although I'd like to see another major somewhere else in the world. Somewhere like Asia or Australia.
"The World Golf Championships should move around and encapsulate the whole world because it's in the title of the tournaments. They should be played by players from all over the world and be played all over the world.
"China's an emerging market for cheap and best golf. There's so many courses being built, people taking up the sport and people getting interested in the sport."
Westwood finished one stroke behind winner Francesco Molinari of Italy last year in an exciting duel at the HSBC.
The 38-year-old Englishman fell short of adding a title in China to the ones he has captured in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, but he long has been a supporter of Asian golf.
"It's somewhere that World Golf Championships have got to be played because it could turn into such a dominant force," Westwood said. "Last year's event was great. Myself and Francesco ran away from the field. It probably looked good on TV, and that sort of thing gets people interested. recommend directory: Callaway RAZR X Tour Irons. The more tournaments there are played there the more interest there will be.
"I see the way that the Asian economy and markets have supported golf over the last few years, and they deserve to have big tournaments there. Asian golf is getting bigger, isn't it? Asia seems to be one of the places that hasn't been hit so hard by the financial crisis. Europe and America have been nailed, really, so Asia's going to be looking more healthy. Sponsors are more likely to want to put money into sporting events there because they've got it."
Asia is so wide open that last week there were dueling tournaments, the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic in Malaysia, co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour, and the Shanghai Masters, organized by marketing giant IMG but with no tour affiliation.
The former drew a field that included Vijay Singh, Stewart Cink, Brendan Steele, Brandt Snedeker, Camilo Villegas, Lucas Glover, Jason Dufner, Jonathan Byrd, Rory Sabbatini, Mark Wilson and defending champion Ben Crane.
The latter enticed Westwood, Charl Schwartzel, Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Jim Furyk, Geoff Ogilvy, Hunter Mahan, Anthony Kim, K.J. Choi, Louis Oosthuizen, Padraig Harrington and Ian Poulter with lucrative appearance fees and reportedly did not make PGA officials too happy. you can chose the TaylorMade rac Black TP Wedge.
"The Far East looks a lot like the Wild, Wild West," a PGA Tour official said a few years ago.
And if you thought Luke Donald wrapped up the PGA Tour's Player of the Year award with his dramatic victory in the season-ending Children's Miracle Network Classic at Disney World, think again.
The U.S. award could be determined in China.
The WGC-HSBC Champions counts as an official victory on the PGA Tour, as it did for Phil Mickelson in 2009, if it is won by a Tour member, although it does not figure on the money list.
The PGA Tour decided last week to wait until after the HSBC before mailing out Player of the Year ballots, which must be returned by Dec. 9. welcome to golfclubs365.
"It's important because it's an official win for a member, and that should hold the ballot open," said Andy Pazder, chief operating officer of the PGA Tour.
"When we send out the ballot, we have a brief summary of the player's year on the PGA Tour. It would be a glaring omission if someone won the tournament and that wasn't on there."
No player has won three times on the PGA Tour this season, but two-time winners Wilson, PGA champion Keegan Bradley and Nick Watney have made commitments along with FedExCup champion Bill Haas. recommend directory: Titleist 2010 710 AP2 Irons.
Donald, who also won the HSBC-Accenture Match Play Championship, was committed to play in Shanghai but withdrew on Friday to be with his wife, Diane, for the birth of their second child.
Bradley added another plum to his rookie season by beating Schwartzel, McIlroy and Darren Clarke in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf two weeks ago, and all four major champions are expected to be on hand, too.
Schwartzel could throw himself in the Player of the Year mix by adding a WGC victory to his Masters title.
For Bradley, it's his first trip to Asia, but he's had it on his mind.
"I've watched that tournament on TV for as long as it's been there," said the 25-year-old from Woodstock, Vt. "I can remember a lot of the holes. It's exciting to think I've qualified to play in that tournament.
"I always think of that 18th hole and the water on the right with the huge red HSBC pyramid floating in the water. That's what comes to my mind.
"I remember when Phil slid his wedge right under and then chipped it and made par (in 2009). I remember that. It's a great tournament. It's going to be an honor to go there."
Seems that's what everyone is saying about Asia these days. recommend directory: Ping G15 Driver.
golfclubs365 is UpFront
I purchased these to have something more forgiving since I was playing Ping I3 blades. Since I don't play as often I decided to buy something that would dampen mishit. I have a personal driving range and I found that my swing fault followed me, go figure :) Anyway, my 1st round was a disaster, but it wasn't the clubs. After the disaster I practiced all week with them, along with a major revision in my setup and shot 73 in my second round with them. So, they were redeemed. One thing I've noticed is that the offset is hidden well in the design of the club. I have never cared for offset, but it's almost invisible in this club. They feel really good in my hands and the thicker sole from the Ping's now seem normal.