BOURDY FENDS OFF McILROY TO CLAIM FANLING GLORY

Grégory Bourdy held off a hard charging Rory McIlroy to win the UBS Hong Kong Golf Open by two shots on Sunday (15 November). The Frenchman carded a polished three-under-par 67 at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling to finish on 19-under 261 for the tournament.

Northern Irish youngster McIlroy showed flashes of his prodigious talent in compiling a 64 but fell just short in the US$2.5 million showpiece for the second year in a row.

“It’s great, I had a fantastic week,” said Bourdy, 27. “It’s my best golf week, best golf day today. I played very consistent. I missed a few putts at the start of the round but I stayed confident.

“It’s my mother’s birthday today so I dedicate this to her. My girlfriend is here and everything went right.

“I was relaxed today and all week. I was so confident. I tried to enjoy all my shots, all my rounds and did it. I missed just a few shots this week. I can’t believe it was so nice to play like this.”

Bourdy, the overnight leader by two shots, was unflappable down the stretch, picking up birdies at the 10th and 13th and calmly playing the final five holes to par.

McIlroy, 20, roared on by the galleries, did his best to put Bourdy under pressure and closed the gap to one shot with consecutive birdies at the 15th and 16th.

But a three-putt bogey at the 17th took the wind out of his sails and Bourdy arrived at Fanling’s notoriously difficult final hole with a two-shot cushion.

Bourdy collected the winner’s cheque for US$416,660 and enjoyed the bonus of leaping into the top 60 on the European Tour’s Race To Dubai, thereby qualifying for next week’s season-ending Dubai World Championship,

“I wanted to stay focused on my game, play shot by shot, and I knew if I was three or four-under it would be OK to win the tournament,” said Bourdy.

“I didn’t look at the leaderboard until the 18th so I didn’t know Rory played well. I was three-under after 14 holes and it was nice to finish with a par on the 18th as it’s a tough hole.

“Dubai was the target before I played here. I knew if I won I’d go to Dubai but first was to play well today and win this UBS Hong Kong Open. I’ve played well, won and I’m going to Dubai, so I have everything.”

The victory was Bourdy’s third European Tour title after victories in the 2007 Mallorca Classic and the Open de Portugal last year.

McIlroy – joint runner-up in the UBS Hong Kong Open a year ago after losing a three-way playoff to Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen Tang – was forced to settle for second best again.

But he could take consolation in the fact that he overtook Lee Westwood at the top of the Race To Dubai standings.

World No.17 McIlroy, who earned US$277,770 for his second place, refused to be too downhearted and paid tribute to the winner.

“I played lovely, really, really well,” he said. “I thought I needed a low one and went out with the mindset that if I went lower than 65 then I might have a chance but Grégory obviously played very well.

“If I’d birdied one of the last two holes I might have given myself a chance, so that’s the way it goes. I’m a bit disappointed at the moment but I have the consolation of going back to the top of the Race To Dubai.

“There’s a lot that can go on next week but my goal this week was to win the UBS Hong Kong Open and I’ve come up just short again, for the second year in a row. But I gave it my best shot and that’s all I can do.”

McIlroy heads the Race To Dubai with earnings of €2,538,449 – a lead of €128,173 over Westwood.

World No.4 Westwood endured a difficult day at Fanling, a closing 74 relegating him to joint 54th place at one-under.

Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen, who began the day two shots behind Bourdy, returned a 68 to finish joint third with Italy’s Francesco Molinari.

Derksen needed to finish first or second to qualify for Dubai, but he put a positive spin on the outcome.

“I’d rather miss out on Dubai than have to go to Spain for the Tour Qualifying School,” he said. “That’s the way it is. There are more people who are unlucky.

“Greg deserved to win as he played really well yesterday and today. He didn’t make any mistakes. I played well today and just made one or two mistakes but he never gave me any room to allow me to get close.”

Molinari – joint runner-up with McIlroy a year ago – compiled a closing 64 to complete another impressive outing at Fanling.

England’s Ian Poulter and Frenchman Raphaël Jacquelin both carded excellent 64s to finish equal fifth on 14-under.

World No.13 Poulter started the day eight behind the leader and admitted he had given himself too much to do.

“I would’ve had to finish 10 or 11-under and it still might not have been good enough, but it was nice to finish strong,” he said. “I had a chance to have a run at it but didn’t quite do enough.”

Defending champion Lin began the day six shots off the pace but his challenged fizzled out with a 72 that left him in joint 22nd place on eight-under.

“It’s quite disappointing to return with an over-par score today,” said Lin. “I tried to rally a late charge but I guess a couple of wayward swings didn’t do me any favours. But that’s how the game of golf in Hong Kong is.”

Apart from Bourdy, another man celebrating at Fanling on Sunday was Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, who clinched an unprecedented third Asian Tour Order of Merit crown ahead of China’s Liang Wenchong.

Both players carded 67s to finish joint 11th on 10-under for the tournament.

The UBS Hong Kong Golf Open – Hong Kong’s oldest golf professional sporting event, having started in 1959 – was once again co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

Yang Hong Kong Golf Master

Yang Yong Eun is hoping golf in Hong Kong’s feel-good factor can inspire a return to the form that saw him make history as Asia’s first Major winner.

The Korean star – one of the main drawcards at this week’s UBS Hong Kong Golf Open – is looking to get back to the performance level that brought about his historic PGA Championship triumph three months ago.

“It’s been quite a while since I’ve been back in Hong Kong and as always, it’s a magnificent city,” said Yang.

“It’s good to be back in the cosmopolitan world. I’ve been suffering a dip in form since my win at the PGA Championship so hopefully this week I can play well and win. That would be really nice.

“This is my ninth event since that win and I’ve been travelling almost around the world. It’s been a very tough schedule. I’m enjoying it but it’s taking a toll, so hopefully I can tolerate and work through it.

“I’ve got three events left this year including this one and if I can get a win or at least a top 10 in any of these then I’ll be really happy.

“Maybe I should take it one step at a time as it seems like everything is so rushed. I’ve got to sit back a bit and pace myself.”


Yang stunned the golf world last August by becoming Asia’s first Major winner when he fended off the challenge of world No.1 Tiger Woods to clinch the PGA Championship.

In doing so, Yang denied Woods his 15th Major success and dented the American’s previously perfect record of turning 14 third round Major leads into wins.

Yang won in style, first overturning Woods’ two shot lead and then eagling the par-four 14th hole to move in front before holding his nerve down the stretch.

The momentous victory catapulted Yang into the world spotlight and means he will be watched far more closely than on his only previous appearance in Hong Kong, when he finished almost halfway down the field in 2002.

“I still see a lot of familiar faces from the last time I was here but the field itself has grown a bit and there are more marquee players around me, but that’s because the tournament has become much bigger,” he said.

“The toughest part is probably the greens as it’s a bit tricky to read the lies.”

Yang is among an array of stars at the US$2.5 million UBS Hong Kong Open, which tees off tomorrow (Thursday) at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling.

Other elite players on show include world No.4 Lee Westwood and former British Open champions Mark O’Meara and Ben Curtis.

Returning to Fanling are defending champion Lin Wen Tang and the man he beat in last year’s unforgettable playoff duel, world No.17 Rory McIlroy.

The UBS Hong Kong Open – Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event, having started in 1959 – is once again co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

Yang was recently given honorary membership of the Asian Tour and he hopes it will inspire other players to try to match his achievements.

“It’s a great honour,” he said. “It’s been quite a while since I played on the Asian Tour and now that I’m recognised as an honorary member, it feels really good and I’m very thankful for the hospitality and treatment that I’ve been given.

“On a golf level, hopefully that honorary membership will inspire a lot of younger players to work harder as ultimately it’ll bring success and reap more benefits.”

The PGA Championship triumph gave Yang – who received a congratulatory phone call from South Korean President Lee Myung Bak – a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour and the Majors.

It was his second success of the year on US soil. In March he shot a two-under-par 68 to win the Honda Classic by one stroke over John Rollins for his first PGA Tour victory.

Yang first came to prominence in 2006 when he held off an elite field, including the impressive chasing pack of Major winners Michael Campbell, Retief Goosen and Woods, to win the Champions event in Shanghai.

It was his third victory of the year following earlier successes in Asia and Japan.

He was voted Korean PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 1997 and, prior to winning in Shanghai, had plied his trade on the Japan Golf Tour, winning four times from 2004.

McILROY Relives Golf in Hong Kong Moment

Rory McIlroy is thrilled to be back at the UBS Hong Kong Golf Open, scene of his incredible playoff duel with Lin Wen Tang 12 months ago.

With darkness falling and the packed galleries roaring them on, the duo traded amazing recovery shots before Lin won it with a birdie at the second extra hole.

“I have great memories of playing here last year,” McIlroy, 20, told a press conference at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling.

“I played well to get into the playoff and then the playoff itself was incredible. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had on a golf course – the atmosphere, the shots that were played. It was getting dark so there were flashes from cameras everywhere, it was amazing.”

The best finish in the tournament’s 50-year history saw Northern Ireland’s McIlroy, Chinese Taipei’s Lin and Francesco Molinari of Italy go toe-to-toe in a three-way playoff on Hong Kongs golf Fanling’s daunting par-four 18th.

Lin looked to have blown his chances when he hooked his tee shot into woods but he staged an amazing escape, hitting his approach high over the trees to six feet from the pin for a birdie to match McIlroy as Molinari was eliminated.

Second time around it was McIlroy’s turn as he hooked a gap wedge 40 yards round a tree to the back edge of the green, only for Lin to fire his own approach to within inches of the pin for the winning birdie.

World No.17 McIlroy admitted he had relived the moment during his practice round on Tuesday. “I played the 18th again today and went over to where Lin Wen Tang hit his shot from and where I hit my shot from.


“It was brilliant, especially his as he was right in the middle of the trees and to get it up and over the trees, through a little gap and on to such a small area of the green was incredible.

“On the journey from the club to the airport afterwards I had a lot of calls and texts saying I was unlucky but it was a big positive for me. I shot 65 in the last round and any other day I would have done more than enough to win the playoff. He went birdie-birdie in the playoff and you can’t beat that.

“Even finishing second I felt very happy as I knew I couldn’t have done any more. Bittersweet memories but it was another week I got myself right in contention. This event last year got me in the top 50 in the world so it was a big event for me.”

McIlroy is currently second in the European Tour’s Race To Dubai standings with earnings of €2,352,259, trailing Lee Westwood by €52,320 with just two events remaining – the UBS Hong Kong Open, which tees off on Thursday, and next week’s Dubai World Championship.

“These two weeks are going to be very good. I love coming to Hong Kong,” said McIlroy.

“It’s my fifth year coming here – twice as an amateur and then this is my third Hong Kong Open. I love the city and the course, it is one of my favourite weeks of the year. Winning this event will take care of catching Lee, so that’s what I’m focusing on.”

World No.4 Westwood is also in the UBS Hong Kong Open line-up together Asia’s first Major winner, Yang Yong Eun, and defending champion Lin.

World No.13 Ian Poulter – recent winner of the Singapore Open – and former British Open champions Mark O’Meara and Ben Curtis are also in the field.

Before his press conference, McIlroy and Chinese No.1 Liang Wenchong conducted a golf clinic for golf in Hong Kong’s Special Olympics golf team and the Northern Irish youngster said it had been a wonderful experience.

“It puts things into perspective,” he said. “It doesn’t matter whether I win or not, I’m very fortunate to be doing what I’m doing.”

The UBS Hong Kong Golf Open – Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event, having started in 1959 – is once again co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

Curtis Takes Immediate Liking To Golf in Hong Kong

Ben Curtis has only played 12 holes of the UBS Hong Kong Open course and already he likes what he sees.

“This is a great course,” said the 2003 British Open champion after managing two-thirds of a practice round at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling on Tuesday. “It fits your eye well. You have to shape the ball off the tee. It’s not overly long but it doesn’t need to be to be a good test.”

Curtis is one of the top drawcards at this week’s US$2.5 million UBS Hong Kong Open and he believes Fanling’s tight par-70 layout will suit his game.

“I like courses where you have to think off the tee and not just blast your driver,” said the American. “You have to think about what you are doing and place the shots. There are options which make it fun.

“You don’t have to be long, and I’m not. You have to place it and there are holes where you hit irons off the tee. And the greens are relatively small so you have to be accurate with the irons and that puts a premium on the short game.

“There are some long courses we play with big greens which make it a relatively easy two putt. Here you have to be precise and it’s fun to play.”

Curtis astonished the golf world in 2003 when, as a virtual unknown, he won the British Open at his first attempt. Since then he has consolidated his status as an elite player with two victories on the PGA Tour and he was a member of the United States’ victorious Ryder Cup team last year.

The 32-year-old divides his time between the PGA Tour and European Tour and says he likes playing an international schedule.

“I enjoy playing different parts of the world and if you look at all the world class players, they all won all over the world,” he said. “I’m not there with Nicklaus or Woods, Player or Palmer but if you look at their resumes and see where they won, it’s pretty impressive.

“As Open champion I try and play where I can around the world. To be able to go and say we have the Open champion playing is part of it as well. You play with different guys and I always try and play where the best players are.”

Other stars on show at the UBS Golf in Hong Kong Open include world No.4 Lee Westwood and Asia’s first Major winner, Yang Yong Eun.

World No.13 Ian Poulter – recent winner of the Singapore Open – and former Masters and British Open champion Mark O’Meara are also in the field. Returning to Fanling are defending champion Lin Wen Tang and the man he beat in last year’s unforgettable playoff duel, world No.17 Rory McIlroy.

The UBS Hong Kong Open is once again co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

More UBS Hong Kong Golf Open History

Moving with Times, But Never Forgetting the Past at the UBS Hong Kong Golf Open

Heritage dictates the status of any sporting competition and the place it occupies in the public’s heart，and that is why the UBS Hong Kong Golf Open will always be the jewel in the crown of Asian golf.

"Some Hong Kong golf tournaments that haven’t been around as long might focus on prize money as a way of making headlines, others might go out of their way to entice star players," says Hong Kong Golf Association chief executive Iain Valentine.

"Of course, the UBS Hong Kong Open has fantastic prize money and some world class golfers in the field but, most of all, it has history.The tournament has been going for almost half a century and, during that time, it has featured great players, famous shots and moments of incredible sporting drama. Other tournaments in Asia simply don’t have this kind of appeal.

"When you think that the list of past winners includes eight Major champions, including all-time greats like Peter Thomson, Greg Norman, Tom Watson and Bernhard Langer, then you can start to appreciate the tournament’s heritage."

The Hong Kong Golf Open was first staged in 1959 and has been held every year since at the magnificent Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling. The seeds were sown the year before, when HKGC member Kim Hall wrote to an Australian professional, Eric Cremin, asking if any of the Australian players due to take part in the 1959 Philippines Open would be interested in coming to Hong Kong afterwards.

Cremin enquired what money was on offer, so Hall approached the South China Morning Post and asked it to sponsor a professional tournament at Fanling. The Post agreed to put up P1,000 in prize money and the event became reality.

The inaugural tournament was captured by a young Taiwanese player, Lu Liang Huan, who secured a one-shot victory over a field that included some highly rated Australian stars.

The same player would become the HKGC’s resident professional from 1962-64 before gaining worldwide fame as the pork-pie hat-wearing “Mr Lu” who finished runner-up to Lee Trevino in the 1971 British Open. He returned to Fanling in 1974 to regain the Hong Kong Open crown.

The tournament has undergone many changes since the early days. Originally played each February, when it was at the mercy of rain, the Open switched to its current end-of-year slot in 1991.

Playing standards have risen, a trend accelerated when the European Tour began co-sanctioning the event in 2001, while prize money has soared, especially since UBS took over title sponsorship in 2005. A total of US$2.25 million is on offer this year.

Rich in tradition, yet thoroughly modern in approach, the Open continues to attract the game’s elite players, all keen to make their mark on a storied event.

As 2005 winner Colin Montgomerie stresses: “It was a real honour to see my name go on the trophy alongside some very famous names. And with the boost in prize money, UBS has really established the tournament as one of the elite events in the region.”

So welcome, everyone, to the UBS Hong Kong Open, a sporting event that moves with the times – but never forgets its past.

Turning £1,000 Into US$2.25 Million at The UBS Hong Kong Golf Open

It was back in 1958 that Hong Kong Golf Club member Kim Hall wrote to an Australian professional, Eric Cremin, asking if any of the Australian players due to take part in the 1959 Philippines Open would be interested in coming to golf in Hong Kong afterwards.

Cremin enquired what money was on offer so Hall approached the South China Morning Post and asked it to sponsor a professional tournament at Fanling. The Post agreed to put up P1,000 in prize money and the rest, as they say, is history. Since then, the Hong Kong Open has grown into one of the SAR’s biggest annual sporting events and one of the jewels in the crown of Asian and Hong Kong golf.

Hugh Staunton, a member of the HKGC since 1958 and club captain in 1999 and 2000, has watched more Hong Kong Opens than most and can recall the early years. "It was a small tournament to begin with, but it was still very exciting because it was the first professional sports event in Hong Kong," he says.

"We were very much cut off from sporting events in other parts of the world, so to be able to watch great players like Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle was a wonderful experience. They were golfing heroes.

"I remember one particular round by Nagle on the New Course when he had five twos – he made a birdie at every par three, which was quite exceptional. It was also less formal back then. Some of the pros stayed at the clubhouse and spent quite a bit of time with the members. And there were more amateurs playing."

At that inaugural Hong Kong golf tournament in 1959, the highly rated Australian contingent duly arrived, only to be eclipsed by a young Taiwanese player, Lu Liang Huan, who secured a one-shot victory. The same player would become the HKGC’s resident professional from 1962-64 before gaining worldwide fame as the pork-pie hat-wearing "Mr Lu" who finished runner-up to Lee Trevino in the 1971 British Open. He returned to Fanling in 1974 to regain the Hong Kong Golf Open crown.


Following Lu's initial success, Australians dominated the Hong Kong Open, winning seven tournaments in the 1960s, with four-time British Open champion Thomson leading the way on three occasions.

Taiwanese players won the event five times in a row in the 1970s, including two successes for Hsieh Yung Yo that took his total to four, which remains a record. The Taiwanese run was interrupted by a young Australian called Greg Norman, who won his first Hong Kong Open title in 1979 and added another four years later. Another landmark arrived in 1987 when Welshman Ian Woosnam became the first European winner.

Until this point, the Hong Kong Open had always been held in February, which left it at the mercy of the weather. Norman’s second victory came when the tournament was reduced to 36 holes due to rain and the 1990 edition, won by American Ken Green, was almost washed out. After that, it moved to its present December slot.

The winners' roster in the Nineties included Major champions Bernhard Langer and Tom Watson before another significant change in 2001 when the European Tour began co-sanctioning the Hong Kong Open. And 2005 saw a new era dawn as UBS began a four-year title sponsorship that brings with it a significant increase in prize money.

From humble beginnings – a simple letter from a member of the HKGC to an Australian professional – the Hong Kong Open now boasts global status. As Hong Kong Golf Association chief executive Iain Valentine summarises: “The UBS Hong Kong Open is one of a select few world-class sports events held annually in Hong Kong and it has a history and heritage that other golf tournaments in the region cannot match.

Prestige, tradition and location – the UBS Hong Kong Golf Open truly has it all.

Follow all the action of Golf in Hong Kong at www.golfinhongkong.com

Casey Out of Hong Kong Golf Open

A recurrence of the rib injury which saw him miss three months earlier in the season, saw Paul Casey have to retire from the final round of the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai and will miss the UBS Hong Kong Golf Open

The 32 year old Englishman completed two holes of his final round at the Sheshan International Golf Club but was unable to continue after feeling pain in his intercostal muscle once again. Casey immediately made plans to return to the United States to see a specialist, meaning he will miss next week's UBS Hong Kong Golf Open. A decision will be made next week in relation to his participation in the season-ending Dubai World Championship in two weeks time.

Guy Kinnings, Casey's manager at IMG, said: "He’s had pain before but he felt it severe enough to realise that it was something different. We always agreed that if he felt that, he would stop. So I'm going to get him home (to America) tonight to see a specialist he's been working with.

"He's sufficiently concerned to want to see him straight away because he doesn't know if this means a recurrence which will mean him out for a while or maybe just a worrying tweak and he’ll be okay. But for sure, he needs to go do that straight away.

"So he'll get back there. I'm not going to make any decisions beyond just saying he can't play Hong Kong, which he is hugely disappointed about. But he can't right now. He needs to go get it looked at.

"He was going to play golf in Hong Kong, Dubai, and then I think Tiger's event and that was it. So, you know, as you can imagine, he still very much felt he had a chance to win The Race to Dubai. That's why he's been aiming to come back this week and next week. So we are just going to have to wait and see."

Danny Lee and Mark Brown Hong Kong Golfers

Kiwi golfers Danny Lee and Mark Brown have resisted the urge to join world No 1 Tiger Woods at the Australian Masters in Melbourne this week and instead will contest the Hong Kong Golf Open.

Lee will be making his first appearance in Hong Kong golf after being forced out last year with what was later diagnosed as chicken pox. The Hong Kong golf tournament is a co-sanctioned Asian and European Tour event and boasts a prize fund of $US2.5 million ($NZ3.50 million), more than double on offer at the Australian Masters starting on Thursday.

Lee ended his HSBC Champions campaign in Shanghai today with a final round 74 for a disappointing seven-over tally of 295. Brown was more upbeat after seizing back-to-back birdies mid-round in a four-under 68 to finish in a tie for 31st on 284, 13 shots behind the winner, American Phil Mickelson.

It marked his lowest closing display all season, and was only the fourth occasion in 13 events, when he has played all four days, that he has broken 70.


He recorded five birdies, and just one bogey at his second hole, before ending with seven successive pars.

"It's nice to end the week with my lowest round but it's stupid to say, because I have been playing better than some of the scores I've been shooting," Brown said. "But finally I've had a week here in Shanghai where I have played half-decent for once." Brown had qualified for the event due to his high placing on the 2008-09 Australasian Order of Merit and he will head to Hong Kong for his last event of the season.

"It was a real bonus getting into this Shanghai event especially after the year I've had because I really don't deserve to be here," Brown said bluntly. "However I played here last year so I knew the course pretty well and that has been a great help. "But over the past month, golf has been really challenging and my scores have been awful but I feel as though it is starting to all turn around.

"Then you never know, a decent result in Hong Kong golf next week could turn it into a pretty decent year."

Full coverage of the Hong Kong Golf Open at www.golfinhongkong.com

Hong Kong Golf This Week

The stars of the Asian Tour will tee off at this week’s UBS Hong Kong Golf Open with every intention of ending their season on a high note.

As the third last ranking event that counts towards the Asian Tour Order of Merit, the US$2.5 million showpiece at the Hong Kong Golf Club will be crucial to many players who are looking to elevate their position on the ranking.

With the Order of Merit crown now reduced to a two-man race between Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and China’s Liang Wen-chong, attention will be turned towards the other contenders in the star-studded field that includes Asian Tour winners such as Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat, Australia’s Scott Hend and India’s Jyoti Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh.

Hong Kong Golf Victory will be worth US$416,660 for the winner and will have a huge bearing on the Order of Merit battle as the 2009 Asian Tour season heads towards an exciting finish. Two more events, the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open and King’s Cup in Thailand, will be played following the UBS Hong Kong Golf Open.

A three-time Asian Tour winner, Chapchai produced good early season form and wrote his name into the record books with a 32-under-par winning total in the SAIL Open in India earlier this season.

The burly Thai, nicknamed “King Kong” by his fellow pros, however struggled with his game in recent months but has since regained his form with a second place finish at the Iskandar Johor Open last month.

With the Asian Tour season drawing to a close, the 26-year-old will be eager to ride on his return to form and enjoy his early success again. (AsianTour.com)

Open Champs to Golf in Hong Kong

Former Major winners Mark O'Meara and Ben Curtis have been added to the strongest field ever assembled for the UBS Hong Kong Golf Open. The American duo - both former Open Championship winners - will be making their debuts in the US$2.5 million showpiece.

They are joined by South African ace Rory Sabbatini - who has five PGA Tour titles to his name - and reigning European Tour Order of Merit champion Robert Karlsson, plus recent Hong Kong winners Colin Montgomerie and Miguel Angel Jiménez. "It is, far and away, the best field ever seen in Hong Kong," said Martin Capstick, managing director of the tournament promoter, Parallel Media Group who have a heavy presence in Hong Kong golf.

"The latest player confirmations, together with those already unveiled, mean we have 14 of the world's top 50 according to the Official World Golf Ranking, which is unprecedented. "We have 40 of the leading 60 players in the European Tour's Race To Dubai - including four of the top six - and all the top 10 in the Asian Tour's Order of Merit."

The latest players to be announced join a star-studded line-up that already includes world No.4 Paul Casey, world No.5 Lee Westwood - the current Race To Dubai leader - and Asia's first Major winner, Yang Yong Eun. The 2009 UBS Hong Kong Golf Open will be staged at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling from 12-15 November.

O'Meara has 16 PGA Tour victories to his name and enjoyed an incredible year in 1998 when he won both the Masters Tournament and the Open Championship and then beat his close friend Tiger Woods in the final of the World Match Play. Aside from his Open triumph, achieved at Royal Birkdale in Lancashire, he has three other European Tour titles to his name, the last being the Dubai Desert Classic in 2004.

"Over my career, I have always prided myself on playing all over the world, so to finally make my debut in the UBS Hong Kong Open is very special," said O'Meara. "I have heard from a number of my friends on Tour how great the tournament is and, since I already love the city of Hong Kong, I'm very excited about the week.

"I'm also going to try my hardest to get an American name back on that trophy - I understand the last US player to win was 14 years ago, so I'll be shooting to change that!" Curtis astonished the golf world in 2003 when, as a virtual unknown, he won the Open at Royal St George's in Kent - so becoming the first player since Francis Ouimet at the 1913 US Open to win a Major at his first attempt.

He also jumped from 396th to 35th in the Official World Golf Ranking, the biggest single leap since the ranking system began in 1986. Since then he has consolidated his status as an elite player with two victories on the PGA Tour and was a member of the United States' victorious Ryder Cup team last year.

"I am delighted to be making my debut in November at the UBS Hong Kong Open," said Curtis. "As a member of the European Tour, I have always enjoyed competing in the great events around the world, and I know the history of this event is very strong.

"All you have to do is take a look at the strength of the field which UBS has assembled this year to know how respected this tournament is. "And its place on the schedule is very important as well, with this being the final chance to qualify for the Dubai World Championship. I need to make up some ground on that list so I'm looking forward to a great week at the UBS.

"I'm sure the golf fans in Hong Kong will enjoy some fantastic golf during the week."
Other stars confirmed for the UBS Hong Kong Golf Open include defending champion Lin Wen Tang of Chinese Taipei and the man he beat in last year's unforgettable playoff duel, brilliant Northern Irish youngster Rory McIlroy, who is currently No.18 in the world.

In addition, English ace Ian Poulter - who leapt up to world No.15 with his victory in last week's Singapore Open - and Northern Irish star Darren Clarke, a 13-time winner on the European Tour, are in the line-up. Also vying for honours will be brilliant New Zealand teenager Danny Lee, who became the youngest winner in European Tour history when, aged 18 years and 213 days, he won last February's Johnnie Walker Classic while still an amateur.

An ultra-strong Asian contingent will be led by Korean icon Yang and the man currently second to him in the continent's rankings, India's Jeev Milkha Singh, a player with three European Tour victories to his name. Also confirmed are Thai ace Thongchai Jaidee, who leads the Asian Tour's Order of Merit with earnings of US$937,658, and Chinese No.1 Liang Wenchong, presently second in the money list and runner-up to Poulter in Singapore.

The UBS Hong Kong Open - Hong Kong's oldest professional sporting event, having started in 1959 - will once again be co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours. The tournament has been won by nine Major champions: Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Orville Moody, Greg Norman, Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson, José María Olazábal and Padraig Harrington.

This year's UBS Hong Kong Golf Open is the penultimate ranking event on the European Tour schedule, taking place a week before the season-ending Dubai World Championship. With only the top 60 golfers on the European Tour money list eligible to play in Dubai, the Hong Kong event has assumed even greater significance with players scrambling to secure their spot in the season finale.

The Hong Kong golf Open is the third-last event counting towards the Order of Merit on the 2009 Asian Tour calendar. Come back for more news on the Hong Kong Golf Open at Golfinhongkong.com

Casey and Westwood to Play Hong Kong Open

More good news for Golf in Hong Kong.

World No.4 Paul Casey and the man just one place below him in the rankings, Lee Westwood, have both been confirmed for next month's UBS Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong's biggest golf tournament to be covered by Golfinhongkong.com.

The English pair will be joined in the US$2.5 million showpiece by compatriot Ian Poulter - currently 21st in the world - and Northern Irish star Darren Clarke.

The quartet - all Ryder Cup winners - boast no less than 49 European Tour titles between them.

They join a stellar UBS Hong Kong Open line-up that already includes Asia's first Major winner, YE Yang of Korea, defending champion Lin Wen Tang of Chinese Taipei and the man he beat in last year's unforgettable playoff duel, Northern Irish youngster Rory McIlroy.

The 2009 UBS Hong Kong Open will be staged at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling from 12-15 November.

As world No.4, Casey will be the highest ranked player to appear in the historic tournament since the Official World Golf Ranking system was introduced in 1986.

"The UBS Hong Kong Open is not only a wonderful and historic tournament in its own right, it is also pivotal in the 2009 Race To Dubai, so it promises to be a very exciting week," said Casey, who has 10 European Tour victories.


"I've been fortunate enough to win two European Tour events in China in the past so hopefully I can reproduce that sort of form for the galleries in Hong Kong.

"I know the UBS Hong Kong Open organisers are putting together a great field so I think the fans can look forward to some tremendous golf."

Casey enjoyed a sensational first half of 2009 with three huge victories in the Abu Dhabi Championship, the Shell Houston Open - his first win on the US PGA Tour - and the European Tour's flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship.

He was sidelined by a rib injury at the beginning of August but has been given the all-clear to return to action next week.

Westwood has enjoyed plenty of success in Asia with victories in Japan, Malaysia and Macau but will be making his first appearance in Hong Kong.

His success at last week's Portugal Masters took his European Tour victory total to 19 and elevated him to the position of world No.5.

It also lifted him above McIlroy into top spot in the European Tour's Race To Dubai with season earnings of €2,241,940.

"I'm delighted to be playing in the UBS Hong Kong Open for the first time," said Westwood. "I've heard great things about the tournament from the other players and it promises to be a fantastic week.


"I understand Fanling is a tight, old-style course that places a lot of emphasis on accuracy so hopefully it will suit my game and I can put on a good show for the fans. Asia has been kind to me in the past and it would be wonderful if I could post another victory in the region."

With Westwood leading the Race To Dubai ahead of McIlroy, and Casey still in fourth place despite his injury layoff, the stage is set for a showdown between the trio in Hong Kong.

Poulter, who has enjoyed success in Asia before with a win in Japan two years ago, will come to Hong Kong in search of his eighth European Tour victory.

"It's been five years since I played in Hong Kong so I'm looking forward to returning," he said. "I remember it as a great city, one of the best stops on the European Tour, and the tournament organisation and hospitality are fantastic.

"I know winning will be tough but, hopefully, I'll be playing well enough to be in the mix on the back nine on Sunday."

Clarke has won 13 times on the European Tour and came agonisingly close to the Hong Kong Open title six years ago when he finished equal third behind winner Padraig Harrington.

"I have fond memories of Fanling from when I played there in 2003," he said. "I had a great tournament but unfortunately Padraig was a little too strong for all of us that week. If I can find the same level of play this time, I'll be very happy."

Chi-Won Yoon, Chairman and CEO of UBS Asia Pacific, hailed the latest star player confirmations.

"Hong Kong golf fans will be thrilled to hear that Paul Casey, the world No.4, Lee Westwood, twice third in the Majors this year, and Ian Poulter will be joining us for the 2009 UBS Hong Kong Open," he said.

"All three are among today's top golfers and will give players such as YE Yang, Rory McIlroy and defending champion Lin Wen Tang a run for their money next month at Fanling."

The UBS Hong Kong Open - Hong Kong's oldest professional sporting event, having started in 1959 - will once again be co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

The tournament has been won by nine Major champions: Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Orville Moody, Greg Norman, Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson, Jose Maria Olazabal and Harrington.

This year's UBS Hong Kong Open is the penultimate ranking event on the European Tour schedule, taking place a week before the season-ending Dubai World Championship.

With only the top 60 golfers on the European Tour money list eligible to play in Dubai, the Hong Kong event has assumed even greater significance with players scrambling to secure their spot in the season finale.

The Open is the third-last event counting towards the Order of Merit on the 2009 Asian Tour calendar.

Golfinhongkong.com will be covering every shot of this major Hong Kong golf event.

Veteran Fung Relishes ‘DREAM’ Achievement

From UBS Website

Golden oldie William Fung will make his UBS Hong Kong Open debut at the age of 52 after winning the domestic qualifying tournament today (16 October).

The veteran teaching pro finished two shots clear of the field at the Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course to book his place in next month’s US$2.5 million showpiece.

“It’s a dream come true,” said an emotional Fung. “I can’t believe it. I thought this was my last chance to qualify and now I’ve done it. I’m very happy.”

Fung can look forward to teeing it up with some of the world’s best players at the UBS Hong Kong Open, including Asia’s first Major winner Yang Yong Eun, defending champion Lin Wen Tang and current European Tour Race To Dubai leader Rory McIlroy.

With four places in the main draw up for grabs in the two-day qualifying tournament, Fung carded a one-over-par 73 to finish on one-over 145, two strokes clear of fellow pro Lokky Lee (74).


A three-way playoff decided the remaining two places, with Chris Tang (76) and Derek Fung (73) beating Roderick Staunton (71) at the first extra hole after the trio had finished on 148.

The 2009 UBS Hong Kong Open will be staged at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling from 12-15 November.

The tournament – Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event, having started in 1959 – will once again be co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

The qualifying tournament was held in conjunction with the Hong Kong leg of the UBS-supported Faldo Series Asia.

Talented 16-year-old Steven Lam blitzed the field with an 11-under total of 133 and was followed home by Liu Lok Tin as both players booked their places in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at Mission Hills Golf Club, hosted by six-time Major winner Nick Faldo, next March.

Lam has already qualified for the UBS Hong Kong Open as winner of the Hong Kong Close Amateur Championship last January.

An exemption will also be granted to the winner of the Hong Kong Open Amateur Championship at Discovery Bay Golf Club on 3-6 November.

The UBS Hong Kong Open International Qualifier will be held at the Palm Resort Golf and Country Club in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on 20 October.