Tiger Woods resumes play; targets HSBC Champions tournament
The second edition of the big-money HSBC Champions tees off Thursday in Shanghai, where many of the game’s top players already have their 2007 goals on their minds. World No. 2 Jim Furyk believes he can get even better, while new European No. 1 Padraig Harrington thinks he can win a major. And Tiger Woods is just glad to be back in action.
Woods is making his first start since winning the WGC-American Express Championship for his sixth straight PGA Tour victory, a five-week break. Strong field in European Tour’s 2007 opener also features Furyk, Retief Goosen, Chris DiMarco, David Howell and Harrington.
Howell, whose win here last season vaulted him to his best season ever and to a third-place finish on the Order of Merit, is looking forward to the challenge of repeating.
While Howell is hoping for back-to-back HSBC titles, so to is England’s Paul Casey, although not in this particular event but instead in regards to the title sponsor. Casey won the HSBC World Match Play Championship in September, his third win of the season.
That victory helped Casey leapfrog Howell in the race for the Order of Merit, a position he held until Sergio Garcia bogeyed the final hole on the last day of the season at the Volvo Masters.
A recharged Woods is now looking forward to getting back on the course, starting in Shanghai - where he finished runner-up to England’s David Howell last year. After competing here Woods will move on to the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan and the two-day PGA Grand Slam in Hawaii before finishing with his own tournament, the Target World Challenge, in December.
Odds to Win The HSBC Championships 2006, Shangai, China - Nov 8th - 12th
PGA Golf Betting, Open and Championship Golf Lines at Bodog Sportsbook
HSBC Champions Tournament Prediction: I’d say Thomas Bjorn will win this one. BET on Bjorn to win @ 50/1.
