The world's local bank
Tiger Woods to play in 2006 HSBC World Match Play Championship
21 March 2006
Tiger Woods, World Number One and winner of the 2006 Buick Invitational, Ford Championship at Doral and the Dubai Desert Classic, has confirmed he will play in the 2006 HSBC World Match Play Championship, September 14-17.
Woods, who won his 10th Major at the 2005 Open Championship at St Andrews, last played in the HSBC World Match Play Championship in 1998, where he was narrowly defeated in the final by his close friend, Mark O’Meara, who came back from 4 down to win on the final green, the best ever recovery in a final.
As one of a 16-man field to compete for the richest first prize in world golf of £1 million and the Mark McCormack Trophy, Tiger enthused:
“The HSBC World Match Play Championship is in its 43rd year and has a great history with some awesome winners. I would love to win it and hope that this year will be my year. With the 2006 Ryder Cup Matches set for the following week, the 36-hole match play format will be the good preparation and we will all be looking for some confidence boosting wins.”
Peter Stringham, Group General Manager, Marketing, at HSBC said: “We are thrilled to have Tiger in the field at this year's HSBC World Match Play Championship. He finished second at our inaugural HSBC Champions tournament in China and I'm sure his fans will be looking for him to go one better at Wentworth.
“With the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship in the USA, we have established a truly global golf programme in keeping with the 'world's local bank'. This is a sport which very much mirrors HSBC's character and how we like to do business. Internationalism, inclusiveness and integrity are as much characteristics of golf as they are of HSBC and we are proud of our association with the game.”
Tiger Woods qualifies for the HSBC World Match Play Championship as the World Number One and Michael Campbell has secured his place as the defending Champion. The rest of the field will qualify based on performances in golf’s four Majors, (2006 HSBC Major Championships Ranking) five principal European Tour Tournaments (HSBC European Tournaments Ranking) plus the leading two European Tour players, not otherwise qualified, from The 2006 European Tour Order of Merit as of August 28, 2006.
While the 2006 HSBC Major Championships Ranking kicks off at next month’s US Masters, England’s David Howell is currently in pole position on the 2006 HSBC European Tournaments Ranking table, having won the inaugural HSBC Champions event played in Shanghai at the Shanghai Sheshan International Golf Club in November, with Tiger Woods hot on his heels finishing in second place.
The tournament is officially sanctioned by the European Tour with the results counting towards the European Tour Order of Merit and Official World Golf Ranking Points. Total prize money will be £2,440,000 with all matches being decided over 36 holes.
Visit hsbcgolf.com for more information.
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