World’s best prepare to do battle in Shanghai

SHANGHAI – Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh, the two best players in the world of golf, line up alongside Colin Montgomerie and Michael Campbell, the leading money winners on the 2005 European Tour, at the inaugural HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai this week.

The quartet are among an elite 75-member field laced with members of the victorious 2004 European Ryder Cup team competing for the five million-dollar purse, the biggest ever on offer in Asia. The tournament, the 2006 European Tour season-opener, begins tomorrow at Sheshan International Golf Club and brings together title winners from the European Tour, the Asian Tour, the PGA of Australasia and the Sunshine Tour.Woods, the reigning Masters and British Open champion who clinched the 2005 PGA tour money title last weekend with a career-best 10.6 million dollars, is hoping to round off his season in style with his seventh victory of the year.However, the world number one is unlikely to have it all his own way, up against the likes of Singh and Montgomerie, who are both on top form.The Fijian has won four titles this year but is still seeking his first on Chinese soil, while Montgomerie clinched the European Tour money title for an unprecedented eighth time last month after a six-year hiatus.China’s top golfer, Zhang Lian-Wei heads the home challenge while Asian Tour number one, Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand will be looking to win for the fourth time this year.-Nampa-AFPThe tournament, the 2006 European Tour season-opener, begins tomorrow at Sheshan International Golf Club and brings together title winners from the European Tour, the Asian Tour, the PGA of Australasia and the Sunshine Tour.Woods, the reigning Masters and British Open champion who clinched the 2005 PGA tour money title last weekend with a career-best 10.6 million dollars, is hoping to round off his season in style with his seventh victory of the year.However, the world number one is unlikely to have it all his own way, up against the likes of Singh and Montgomerie, who are both on top form.The Fijian has won four titles this year but is still seeking his first on Chinese soil, while Montgomerie clinched the European Tour money title for an unprecedented eighth time last month after a six-year hiatus.China’s top golfer, Zhang Lian-Wei heads the home challenge while Asian Tour number one, Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand will be looking to win for the fourth time this year.-Nampa-AFP