Already supporting major golf events in Europe and the USA, the bank’s new tournament will be played at the Shanghai Sheshan International Golf Club on November 10-13, 2005.
With a prize fund of $5 million - twice the size of anything previously in China and the largest in Asia - HSBC says it is hoping to put golf in China on a par with the rest of the world.
The tournament is seen as the first ‘championship of champions’ in world golf. In addition to a commitment to play from Tiger Woods, the event brings together winners across four golf tours, matching them with the best players in the official world rankings.
HSBC also plans to invite eight Chinese players in a bid to involve local talent and support the development of golf in the country.
The event will be co-sanctioned by The European Tour, Asian Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Sunshine (Southern Africa) Tour and the China Golf Association.
Partnered by tournament organisers IMG, HSBC will be title sponsorof the tournament for an initial period of five years. The event will be broadcast in China on CCTV and internationally by European Tour productions.
