Skysports.com picks six players to keep an eye on at the third staging of the HSBC Champions event in China.
Curtain-raiser for the 2008 European Tour season starts Thursday
Sheshan stats package
An excellent field has assembled for the third staging of the HSBC Champions event in China.
To be played, once again, at Sheshan in Shanghai, the tournament heralds in the new 2008 European Tour season - just four days after the old one was wrapped up at Valderrama.
Although Tiger Woods - who played in each of the previous two HSBC events - is not taking part, his absence is more than made up by the appearance of some other big name stars.
Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh all tee-up in Shaghai alongside two of this year's Major winners Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera.
Yong Eun-Yang defends his title at the three-year-old tree-lined Sheshan course, yet trying to pick a winner at the 'end' of a long, hard calendar year is not easy.
Maybe the following are worth looking at:
Markus Brier: A winner in Shanghai (China Open) already this year and fifth the following week in the same city. An unlikely winner but could well be a good each-way bet.
Angel Cabrera: Champion last week in Singapore and capable of winning any event he cares to enter. Following his Oakmont success in June does not fear anyone.
Paul Casey: Not in the greatest of form but has a super record in China. In 10 visits has posted seven top 10s of which two were victories.
Simon Dyson: Came mighty close to lifting the Volvo Masters title at Valderrama last week and usually performs well in Asia. Dyson is a serious Ryder Cup candidate for 2008 and a player who is rapidly moving up the World Ranking.
Padraig Harrington: Narrowly missed out on successfully defending his European Order of Merit crown at the weekend. Was sixth at Sheshan 12 months ago.
Phil Mickelson: Makes a rare foray outside of the United States and is yet to win a 'top-level' event on foreign soil although he did force a play-off at Loch Lomond earlier this year.
Vijay Singh: Second to Cabrera in Singapore on Sunday. Usually travels fairly well.
