The last few years have been undoubtedly strong ones for American golf. This has been epitomised by the success of young stars like Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, as well as the continued form of Dustin Johnson. The year, in particular, has been a stellar year for US golf, with American players annexing three of golf’s four Majors.
The latest world rankings have five Americans in the world’s top 10, with Johnson, Spieth and Thomas ranked first, second and fourth respectively. This trio and the rest of America’s growing list of top players will be keen to close out the year on top.
While the golfing calendar is not littered with star-studded tournaments towards the back-end of the year, there are nonetheless some events that still catch the eye. One event of huge significance is the World Gold Championships HSBC-Champions in Shanghai on October 27-30. It will be the fourth and final WGC event of the year, and arguably the most prestigious tournament before the Masters in April.
However, it is fair to say that the golfing public has not fully embraced the WGC events in the way that golf’s top brass and the sponsors would have liked. Critics suggest that the HSBC Champions event is perhaps too late in the season to truly capture the attention of the fans. They point to a lethargic field, drained and disinterested after a long season on the Tour. However, this is too cynical a view on what is always a cracking event.
The top professionals always play hard, and always play to win, regardless of the perceived prestige of the event. It is that competitive streak that has propelled them to the top of their sport. There will be plenty of sub-plots in evidence when the tournament gets going at the Sheshan International course. Johnson has the chance to become the first player to win three WGC events in a calendar year. Thomas has the opportunity to improve on his US PGA Championship and FedEx Cup triumphs in recent months. Both he and Jordan Spieth will be keen to land their first ever WGC event.
While most would argue we are likely to see an American name on the trophy this year, there are plenty of other candidates from elsewhere. Hideki Matsuyama, the defending champion, is without doubt the most consistent player in the world right now. He rarely has a bad tournament, and will be eager to mount a challenge to Johnson for the number one spot in the rankings.
Regardless of where you stand on the event’s place in golf’s hierarchy, some of the world’s best will be fighting tooth and nail for a victory in Shanghai.
Of course, there is much more than the HSBC Champions on the horizon. Are you interested in golf matches of the season? Check out golf betting with William Hill to find the latest on the HSBC Champions, DP World Tour Championships (Dubai, 16th-19th November) and more from the US PGA and European Tours.