The world's local bank
HSBC Champions tee off in China
10 November 2005
The inaugural HSBC Champions golf tournament starts in Shanghai on 10 November 2005.
Many of the world’s top golfers - including Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Colin Montgomery - will take part in the inaugural championship, which offers a prize fund of US$5 million, the largest in the history of Asian and Chinese golf.
The tournament is a fitting sponsorship for the world’s local bank, which was founded in Hong Kong and Shanghai in 1865. Sir John Bond, HSBC Group Chairman, was in China to launch the tournament. He said HSBC is proud of its association with golf.
"We have chosen to create this tournament in China, and in Shanghai, for several reasons. Partly because of our history - HSBC has had a continuous presence in the city of Shanghai for 140 years. In China, we see a country whose economic progress in the last 25 years has been nothing short of astonishing," Sir John added.
"However, we are not investing in golf simply because of our history here. We hope the HSBC Champions will play a significant part in the development of golf in China by bringing the world’s best golfers to Shanghai to play alongside winners from the Asian and other leading Tours, and China’s own talented young golfers."
HSBC has signed up as title sponsor for the Champions tournament for five years. This year’s competition is the third major golfing event that HSBC has sponsored in 2005. The HSBC World Match Play Championship at the UK’s Wentworth club was won by New Zealand’s Michael Campbell in September, while Colombia’s Marisa Baena triumphed over a first class field in the inaugural Women’s World Match Play Championship in New Jersey at the end of June.
HSBC Champions takes place at the Shanghai Sheshan International Golf Club from 10-13 November.
Pictured: Sir John Bond (right) with the world’s top golfer, Tiger Woods, in Shanghai. Before the start of HSBC Champions, Tiger Woods and Sir John Bond announced an agreement between the Tiger Woods Foundation, Inc. (TWF) and HSBC Holdings, regarding HSBC’s participation as one of the leading supporters of TWF’s programmes and activities in Asia and elsewhere in the world. A key part of the agreement is the establishment in Asia of joint educational and charitable programmes.
Get live updates from HSBC Champions here.
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