PREVIEW-Golf-Mickelson eyes Sheshan hat-trick as Tiger sits out

October 30, 2013 5:32 AM ピンG25ドライバー

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By Andrew Both

SHANGHAI, Oct 30 (Reuters) - The absence of Tiger Woods will not go unnoticed at this week's WGC-HSBC Champions tournament but the attendance of 40 of the world's top 50 players suggests the tournament is living up to its billing as a World Golf Championships tournament.

The HSBC is the only WGC event played outside the United States but an $8.5 million purse has still not been enough to lure world number one Woods to Sheshan International Golf Club.

With appearance money banned in official PGA Tour events, the 14-time major champion has snubbed the event since 2010.

This week, instead, he s participating in some lucrative corporate outings elsewhere in Asia following on from Monday's exhibition match against Rory McIlroy on Hainan Island in South China.

World number two Adam Scott, who this year became the first Australian to win the Masters, is also missing as he prepares for a busy year-end schedule in his homeland, but the presence of British Open champion Phil Mickelson, U.S. Open winner Justin Rose and two-time major champion McIlroy helps soften the blow.

Mickelson's golf course design business is growing in China - he has a new course opening in Shanghai early next year - but his focus this week will be on clinching a Sheshan hat-trick, where he also won in 2007 and 2009.

"I was not swinging well in Malaysia (but) the last two days my game started to come around," Mickelson told reporters on Wednesday, referring to last week's CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur, where he finished tied for 19th.

"I enter this tournament with a lot more confidence than I've had in a while. I feel the ball-striking is getting better, the rhythm is getting better and Sheshan is a course I feel very comfortable on."

HOPEFUL ROSE

Englishman Rose knows a good result here would boost his chances of winning the Race to Dubai - formerly known as the European Tour Order of Merit. He is third with just two events left after this week.

"To get my name on that trophy again would be a huge honour," said Rose, who won the European money list in 2007.

"This is a key week on both tours (because) it's my first event on the 2014 PGA Tour schedule."

McIlroy, meanwhile, needs a strong performance to qualify for the European Tour's season-ender in Dubai in a fortnight. He is 62nd on the money list, with only the top 60 advancing.

"It's a big week obviously... it's sort of make-or-break," McIlroy said.

"If I don't play good enough here, then you know, there's a good chance I won't play in Dubai. But... there's a bigger chance of me winning this tournament than not playing in Dubai, I feel."

The international field here comprises 72 players from 21 countries, headed by 24 American players.

The host country has a six-man contingent, while nine other Asian players are in the field - four from Japan (including young stars Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Ishikawa), two from Thailand, two from South Korea and one from India.

Englishman Ian Poulter is defending champion. (Editing by John O'Brien)

Dream season over, Spieth ready to start over

By DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer)October 30, 2013 9:23 AMAP - Sports 激安G25

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United States team player Jordan Spieth, right, and teammate Phil Mickelson hold the Presidents Cup after the U.S. won the Presidents Cup golf tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013, in Dublin, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

SHANGHAI (AP) -- Jordan Spieth followed the flight of his tee shot on the par-3 sixth hole at Sheshan International, and his amateur partners took great interest just watching his body language. Finally, he offered the slightest slump of his shoulders when he saw the outcome.

''Over the green?'' one of the amateurs asked him.

''I thought it was in,'' Spieth replied. The ball turned just below the cup and settled about 4 feet away.

It's been that kind of year for the 20-year-old Texan.

A year ago, he was in his sophomore year at the University of Texas. A few weeks ago, he was a guest on the sidelines of the OU-Texas game. In one amazing year, he went from failing the second stage of Q-school on the PGA Tour to playing a World Golf Championship in Shanghai. He went from not having a tour card to playing in the Presidents Cup. He showed up for the HSBC Champions at No. 20 in the world.

And even though the calendar still shows 2013, this week marks the start of his encore.

Spieth just last month wrapped up a rookie season that featured $4.5 million, including his FedEx Cup bonus for finishing at No. 7. He starts at zero on Thursday.

''I think there's a lot to prove this year to follow it up,'' Spieth said. ''Obviously, last season was more than I could have dreamt. But I met with my coach and we've set new goals. I'm changing my schedule, and most of the events I'll play will be against a lot harder fields for most of the year. I'm just looking ahead. I never really did look back.''

That would be a lot to digest.

Spieth had no status on any tour when he took a right turn in March by skipping a chance to get a Web.com Tour card in South America so he could honor a commitment to play in the Puerto Rico Open. He tied for second and was on his way. Spieth had temporary PGA Tour membership locked up by May, he contended on the weekend at Colonial and Congressional, broke through with a win at the John Deere Classic, and the hits kept coming.

A playoff loss in the Wyndham Championship. Playing with Phil Mickelson for the first time and closing with a 62 at the TPC Boston. The phone call - it still gives him chills thinking about that - from Fred Couples making him a captain's pick for the Presidents Cup. Nearly winning the FedEx Cup with a 64 in the final round of the Tour Championship. And then going 2-2 in his Presidents Cup debut. He had to reset his goals about five times during the course of nine months.

There are times when he remembers his youth. As he finished up his pro-am Wednesday, the conversation turned to the Asia-Pacific Amateur, which was won last week by 19-year-old Lee Chang-woo of South Korea.

''He's about the same age I am,'' Spieth said.

But when he sets up on the practice range next to Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, U.S. Open champion Justin Rose and PGA champion Jason Dufner, he realizes he's in another league. And he knows the only way to stay there is to keep moving forward.

''The Presidents Cup was real exciting to reflect on,'' he said. ''As far as the year goes, the only thing I looked back on was gaining confidence in pressure situations, and being able to make some putts. I had goals and I had to set new goals. I never had to do that before. It was cool to see each goal get surpassed so quickly. We were riding a lot of confidence.''

There was something different about this kid last year. He had a confidence about him that only increased with every opportunity and every big moment. To see Spieth reminded Phil Blackmar of his early days on the PGA Tour, especially his first major at Cherry Hills for the PGA Championship.

''I'm playing with Hale Irwin,'' Blackmar said in a recent interview. ''I had never played with him. The eighth hole is a par 3, and we had to wait on the group ahead of us. I was minding my business, and he comes over, looks up at me and turns to the crowd and says, 'He doesn't have it. You can tell by the look in his eyes.'

''So I said, 'How in the hell can he tell? He can't see this high.' And Hale turned bright red,'' Blackmar said. ''But what he said was true. You can tell something about guys that are on the right side of the edge. There's something about their body language, their facial expression. Jordan has that. He would have had a similar response. To me, he has that same sort of makeup.''

Spieth didn't do anything after the Presidents Cup when he returned home to Dallas. He is moving into a new house he bought, which took up his time. He is starting a workout program to get stronger as he prepares for the big events. And even though he couldn't stop talking about meeting with Texas coach Mack Brown the night before a 36-20 win over the Sooners, perhaps the most important day of his break was with coach Cameron McCormick.

They looked over his statistics and tried to identify strengths and weakness. They set new goals - again.

''Overall short game, wedge work, long irons,'' Spieth said. ''What we said is if I take the same routine and spent a little extra time - maybe an hour a day, 30 minutes, whatever it is - and work around the greens, it will be a better year.''