HSBC Champions

[FC Basher]

Sheshan International GC
Shanghai, China


08 Nov 2007 - 11 Nov 2007
First played:
November 2005 (Part of the 2006 European Tour International Schedule)

Past winners:
2006: David Howell
2007: Y E Yang

Lowest 18 hole score: 64 (-8)
Nick Dougherty, Peter O’Malley, Paul Lawrie, 2006;
Tiger Woods, Henrik Stenson, Michael Campbell, 2007

Lowest first 18 hole score: 64 (-8)
Nick Dougherty, Peter O’Malley, Paul Lawrie, 2006

Lowest first 36 hole score: 132 (-10)
Nick Dougherty, David Howell, 2006

Lowest first 54 hole score: 200 (-16)
David Howell, 2006

Lowest 72 hole score: 268 (-20)
David Howell, 2006

Lowest under par winning score: 268 (-20)
David Howell, 2006

Lowest final round by a winner: 68 (-4)
David Howell, 2006

Wire-to-wire-winners:
None

Largest 18 hole lead:
1 shot, Jyoti Randhawa, 2007

Largest 36 hole lead:
1 shot, Jyoti Randhawa, 2007

Largest 54 hole lead: 1 shot
David Howell, 2006
Retief Goosen, 2007

Largest winning margin:
3 shots, David Howell, 2006

Biggest final round comeback by a winner:
1 shot, Y E Yang, 2007

Play-offs:
None

Holes-in-one:
Kenneth Ferrie, Rnd 2, Hole 6, 2006

[Beanie]

Woods not playing so that opens up the field a bit given that he's been strong in both of the last two years. Would expect the big guns to go well this week, but looks a bit of a minefield at the moment so will wait a couple of rounds.

[Beanie]

Mmmm...

-14 Mickelson
-12 Fisher
-11 Casey
-10 Stadler

Forget the rest. It's 1.44 on phat Phul to maintain his lead, and there's pointers both ways...on one had you have Phil who hasn't won outside the US for donkey's years(and flunked the Scottish Open earlier this season when he had it in the bag)...but then again he has his family with him for once on this trip and seems a lot happier, a lot more driven that he has ever been abroad. Further, the chasing pack isn't up to much...Fisher and Stadler could easily crumble tomorrow...Casey isn't the best at putting together final round charges either, and he'll need -6 you would think to be up there. His -6 today involved 3 chip ins from off the green which doesn't happen everyday, so he'll struggle to emulate that tomorrow, but remains the danger.

Fisher will be in the final group with Mickelson - he says he's dealing with pressure well but that will be a different kettle of fish. Stadler came into this one having just secured his PGA card in the last tournament of the season so by his own admission the pressure was off, leading to a couple of good carefree rounds, which promptly turned the pressure back on and saw a few more mistakes today. Even if he gets it together tomorrow, there's every chance he'll fall away agan.

All in all its an uninspirational punt, but small and solid: Mickelson is playing the closing holes so well that even if under pressure down the stretch, he's got a good chance of closing it out.

2pts Mickelson @ 1.44 with Betfair