WGC HSBC Champions: TV Times, Betting Tips
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Find out how to watch and who to back at this week’s WGC HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
The WGC HSBC Champions marks the final stop in this season’s Asian swing, having already had PGA Tour events in both South Korea and Japan.
Last year, Xander Schauffele triumphed in a playoff against Tony Finau to earn his first WGC title. He returns this week with a whole host of former champions, including Justin Rose, Hideki Matsuyama, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garica.
But there’s a lot more on the line that just the title this week in China. For some European Tour players its a chance to make a big move up the Race to Dubai rankings, while Presidents Cup hopefuls aim to catch the eye of their Captains before wildcard picks are announced.
• Date: Oct 31 – Nov 3
• Course: Sheshan International GC, Shanghai,
• Prize Fund: $10,250,000
• Race to Dubai points: 9000
• FedEx Cup points: 550
WGC HSBC CHAMPIONS: TV TIMES
• Thursday: Sky Sports Golf (02:00), Sky Sports Main Event (02:00)
• Friday: Sky Sports Golf (02:00), Sky Sports Main Event (05:00)
• Saturday: Sky Sports Golf (02:30), Sky Sports Main Event (02:30)
• Sunday: Sky Sports Golf (02:00), Sky Sports Main Event (05:00)
WGC HSBC CHAMPIONS: BETTING TIPS
Rory McIlroy: 6/1
A third place finish in last week’s inaugural ZOZO Championship was McIlroy’s sixth top 10 in his last eight starts on any Tour, including his win at the Tour Championship. In seven trips here he’s had five top 10s, the most recent a T4 in 2016. Ranked 1st for SG: Off the tee, Scoring average and SG: Tee to green last season, as well as 2nd for birdie average, 12th SG: Approach the green, 19th SG: Around the green, and 21st SG: Putting.
Hideki Matsuyama: 12/1
Matsuyama followed up his T3 at the CJ Cup with a runner-up finish to Tiger Woods in Japan last week. Has mixed success here, lifting the trophy in 2016 but not bettering T30 in five other starts. Was ranked inside the top 10 last season for birdie average, SG: Tee to green and SG: Approach the green, in addition to 12th for both scoring average and SG: Around the green.
Xander Schauffele: 12/1
The defending champion defeated Tony Finau in a playoff to pick up his first WGC here last year, and comes to China after a T10 in his first start of the PGA Tour season at last week’s ZOZO Championship. Ranked 11th last season for scoring average.
Justin Rose: 14/1
A player with a lot of success here, including a win and four other top 10s, and a T3 last year. He makes his first PGA Tour start of the year this week after going 8-T34-T15 in three European Tour starts (the BMW PGA Championship, Alfred Dunhill Links and Italian Open). Ranked 10th Scoring average, 17th SG: Putting and 21st SG: Approach the green last season.
Paul Casey: 20/1
After his third place finish at the Tour Championship, Casey picked up his 14th Euroepan Tour victory at the Porsche European Open, finished T11 at the BMW Championship and recovered from a MC at the Italian Open with a T17 last week. He’s another player who is comfortable around this track, recording two top 10s and never having finished worse (with the exception of a WD in ’09) than T23. Last season ranked inside the top 10 for SG: Off the tee, SG: Approach the green, GIR and Scoring average.
Tony Finau: 25/1
In two starts here Finau has finished T11 and 2nd, losing out in a playoff last year to Schauffele. He struggled at last week’s ZOZO Championship, finishing T59, but posted four top 10s in his previous five starts on both the PGA and European Tour. Ranked 15th scoring average in the 2018/19 season.
Sungjae Im: 28/1
Last season’s PGA Tour rookie of the year continues to impress: He has a victory (on the Korean Tour), a runner-up finish at the Sanderson Farms and a T3 in last week’s ZOZO Championship already under his belt this season. Making his debut here this week. Ranks 4th Birdie average, 6th SG: Putting and 20th scoring average so far this season.
Patrick Reed: 28/1
Putting together an incredibly consistent run of late, Reed hasn’t finished worse than a T36 at the Porsche European Open in his last 14 starts on either Tour, including his victory at The Northern Trust and a T4 in his first start of the new season and a T17 last week in Japan. Was T7 here last year for the second time. Ranked 14th SG: Around the green and 21st for scoring average last season.
Billy Horschel: 35/1
Horschel finished T11 here in 2018, and just posted a T6 at the ZOZO Championship -his second top 10 in his last three starts on Tour. Ranks 16th SG: Putting.
Ian Poulter: 45/1
Poulter claimed the title here in 2012 before finishing as the runner-up to Dustin Johnson the following year, and also has a further T6 in this event. Heads to Japan after back-to-back top 20s at the CJ Cup and ZOZO Championship. Ranked inside the top 25 on Tour last season for both birdie average and SG: Putting.
