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Shanghai: The best players from the Asian Tour including Merit leader Scott Hend of Australia will head to Shanghai for the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions next week.<\/p>\nShanghai: The best players from the Asian Tour including Merit leader Scott Hend of Australia will head to Shanghai for the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions next week.<\/p>\n
Played at the exclusive Sheshan International Golf Club, the year’s final WGC event of the year offers a lucrative prize fund of US$9.5million and welcomes a star-studded field that includes eight of the world’s top 10 players.<\/p>\n
Hend will spearhead the Asian Tour charge alongside compatriot Marcus Fraser, Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang, Korea’s Jeunghun Wang and Philippines Miguel Tabuena at the Shanghai showpiece from October 27-30.<\/p>\n
Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, a three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, is also expected to feature prominently amongst the world class line-up headlined by all four 2016 Major champions- Masters Champion Danny Willett, US PGA Championship winner, Jimmy Walker, US Open Champion Dustin Johnson and Open Champion Henrik Stenson. <\/p>\n
The leading four not otherwise exempt players on the Asian Tour Order of Merit after the Venetian Macao Open last week qualified for the WGC-HSBC Champions.<\/p>\n
While aiming to solidify his position atop the merit rankings, Hend, who has already won twice on the Asian Tour this season, is also looking to end his season on a flourish.<\/p>\n
“I’ve been very close to winning the Order of Merit previously, only to the pipped by guys obviously playing a bit better. I should have won more times this year,” said Hend.<\/p>\n
The big-hitting Australian secured two victories in Thailand this season and was narrowly denied his 10th Asian Tour title after a play-off defeat in Switzerland last month.<\/p>\n
He finished tied-fourth in Korea a fortnight ago and believes he has the form to make his mark in the winner’s circle again.
<\/p>\n
“I’ve got a few more tournaments until the end of the year and obviously I like to think I can possibly win one of these ones,” said Hend.<\/p>\n
In-form Chan, who like Hend has also won twice this season, is confident of putting up another good showing in what will be his first appearance at the WGC-HSBC Champions.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old has made great strides since plying his trade on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) where he is a five-time winner.<\/p>\n
He earned his breakthrough in Thailand in July and quickly followed up that victory with another in Japan two months later.<\/p>\n
“From winning on the ADT to winning on the Asian Tour now, I think the biggest change is my mindset. I have grown to become a better player not just because of how I play but also how I think now. “I used to get angry easily on the course. I guess it’s because I was still young. I don’t get angry anymore. The playing experiences helped,” said Chan, who is third on the merit list.<\/p>\n
Tabuena will meanwhile relish the prospect of coming up against the world’s best players again when he makes his debut at the WGC-HSBC Champions.<\/p>\n
It will be a familiar environment for the 22-year-old all over again, having flown his country flag at the recent Olympic Games in August.<\/p>\n
“Playing in the Olympics really helped. Being in the same event where so many top players were there was good.<\/p>\n
“I thought myself that my game isn’t that far. It’s a matter of time and you’ve just got to keep grinding and the hard work will pay off,” said Tabuena.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Shanghai: The best players from the Asian Tour including Merit leader Scott Hend of Australia will head to Shanghai for the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions next week.<\/p>\n
Played at the exclusive Sheshan International Golf Club, the year’s final WGC event of the year offers a lucrative prize fund of US$9.5million and welcomes a star-studded field that includes eight of the world’s top 10 players.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[12943,466,6933,18474],"class_list":["post-29451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world-golf-news","tag-golf-news","tag-indian-sports-news","tag-scott-hend","tag-world-golf-championship"],"yoast_head":"\n