HSBC Champions becomes fourth WGC event

SHANGHAI: The Shanghai-based HSBC Champions tournament was named the fourth World Golf Championship (WGC) on Tuesday, upgrading it to elite status on the international calendar and making it the most important event not yet won by Tiger Woods.

"This is a pretty historic moment for the game of golf," said IMG Vice-President Mark Steinberg at a press conference in Shanghai. "It puts the (word) 'world' into the term World Golf Championship.

As it enters its fifth year, the Nov 5-8 HSBC Champions now ranks alongside the Accenture Match Play Championship, CA Championship and Bridgestone Invitational as a top-10 event.