WGC-HSBC:Shanghai waits Woods return

October 30, 2013. Everyone gathered along Shanghai riverfront on Tuesday afternoon hoped against hope to see Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson play Chinese checkers once again, as they did in 2010. However, this time, at the curtain raiser event of the WGC-HSBC Champions, ‘returning heroes’ , the defending champion Ian Poulter joined Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Jason Dufner and Justin Rose dressed in ceremonial cloaks with traditional weapons and performed with the Shanghai Jingju Company.

Woods absence is conspicuous due to fact that being present in China, he chose to skip the event. He played an exhibition match against McIlroy last week in Hainan and will stay on in Asia for some time.

The reason to avoid an event he has been a huge supporter – and financial benefactor – of the WGCs since they began in 1999 by playing in 41 of 44 events, is unknown. He missed only on three occasions, during the Match Play in Australia when it was held just after the holidays in 2001, and two in early 2010 when Woods was recovering from the scandal in his personal life.

Last year too Woods and McIlroy played in China and both skipped the HSBC at Mission Hills. Two years ago, Woods was in Australia for outings during the HSBC. Woods hasn’t come back since 2010.

[highlight] China is a vast country, so him playing a meaningless match yesterday doesn’t really affect us. But yeah, we’re disappointed, says Giles Morgan of HSBC. [/highlight]

“I do think that’s something, from the tour’s point of view, that does need to be looked at,” Giles Morgan, global head of sponsorship and events for HSBC, said to golf.com onTuesday. “I’m not here to knock Tiger at all, because I feel that he’s been absolutely instrumental in the growth. But we’ve reached a point where it’s not about individuals. It’s about growing the game of golf globally.

“I really hope that Tiger will want to come back in following years,” he said. “China is a vast country, so him playing a meaningless match yesterday doesn’t really affect us. But yeah, we’re disappointed.”

Morgan said that Woods’ agent informed him that this was not going to work with his schedule a few months ago.

There was a time HSBC paid to get the best players. But now that it’s a full-fledged WGC, big appearance fees have been replaced by an $8.5 million purse.

“What I can’t do is pay him,” Morgan said. “And I feel enormously strong about that. This is a World Golf Championship. This is the flagship event of Asia. This is going to be the beacon to carry the game into this continent for many years to come.”

Woods knows best whatever has kept him away from the event but golf enthusiasts of Shanghai would certain miss World No. 1 at an event which is shaping as ‘Asia’s Major’.