2019 PGA Tour World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions
WGC-HSBC Champions Background
Like all World Golf Championships events, golfers essentially have to “qualify” (via world rankings, wins in certain big tournaments, etc.) to play in this limited-field big-money tournament and there is no cut. It’s often called “Asia’s Major.” There is an opposite-field event this week as well for those not lucky/good enough to play in China and that’s the Bermuda Championship.
The HSBC Champions debuted in 2005 and became a part of the exclusive World Golf Championships rotation in 2009. This would count as a victory on both the PGA and European Tours just like one of the four Grand Slam tournaments.
It’s played at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, a par 72 measuring around 7,260 yards. The 18-hole record is a 62 by Martin Kaymer and Danny Willett, and the 72-hole record is 24-under 264 by Dustin Johnson in 2013. Tiger Woods has won a record 18 WGC events but yet to take this one. He was runner-up in 2005-06 before it had WGC status. Woods tied Sam Snead’s PGA Tour record with his 82nd career win Sunday in Japan but isn’t playing this week.
The only player to win here twice is Phil Mickelson, doing so in 2007 and 2009. He’s in the field again this year but a +8100 longer shot. World No. 1 Brooks Koepka isn’t playing due to a knee injury suffered a couple of weeks ago in South Korea.
HSBC Champions Betting Favourites
Rory McIlroy leads the way at Sports Interaction, priced +556 to win the HSBC Champions. He has yet to win this event but has a handful of Top 10s. McIlroy tied for third last week at 13 under, six behind Tiger. Hideki Matsuyama is +1000. He was runner-up in his native Japan on Sunday and won here easily in 2016 at 23-under 265.
Defending champion Xander Schauffele is +1200 with Justin Rose +1400 and Paul Casey +2000. Schauffele beat Tony Finau in a playoff last year after both finished 72 holes at 14-under 274. Rose won the year before also at 14 under. Casey’s best finish at the HSBC Champions is a fourth, but he hasn’t had a Top 10 the past four visits.
Canadian Golfer Odds
No Canadian has won or finished runner-up in this event – no player from the country has won any WGC tournament. Corey Conners is +3300 this week and Adam Hadwin +5800. It’s Conners’ debut in the event and he comes off a T6 in Japan. Hadwin has played here twice with a best result of 30th.
HSBC Champions Predictions
Take McIlroy and Rose for Top 10s, but the winner at +2500 is Finau. In addition to the runner-up in China in 2018 he was T11 the year before.