Rory McIlroy clocks up more air travel this week as he heads to Hong Kong - after a short break at home following the HSBC Champions in Shanghai two weeks ago - to play in the UBS Hong Kong Open where he finished two strokes behind Gregory Bourdy of France last year.
McIlroy will join the rest of the Irish contingent - Graeme McDowell, Michael Hoey, Gareth Maybin and Shane Lowry – who all arrive from the Barclays Singapore Open which ran into a fifth day following heavy thunderstorms that delayed the completion of the final round on Sunday.
Peter Lawrie, who finished sixth last year at the Hong Kong Golf Club, also plays this week.
Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, Damien McGrane return to action as well after missing the cut at in Singapore.
Ian Poulter of England joins Major Champions YE Yang and America, John Daly after finishing sixth in Singapore – unable to reclaim the title this year – to move up to 14th in the World Rankings.
However Poulter still harbours ambitions of scaling the World Rankings over the coming months, with the UBS Hong Kong Open among the events he is hoping can put him into contention.
“Look at the World Rankings from a point’s perspective - Tiger Woods has dropped all of his points; therefore he has come back to the pack. Nobody has really gone to him,” said Poulter.
“With that in mind, anybody in the top 10 in the world who has a good six months can find themselves move up the World Ranking high enough to contend for that Number One spot – and that’s something I’m aiming for.”
Yang is Asian golf’s biggest draw having become the first man from the Far East to win a Major Championship at the 2009 US PGA Championship.
John Daly made his Major breakthrough by winning the US PGA title back in 1991, remains one of golf’s most popular characters, attracting huge support wherever he plays in the world.
The American, who also won the 1995 Open Championship at St Andrews, last played at the Hong Kong Golf Club at the end of 2008 when he treated the crowd to a brilliant eight under par final round 62.
"I’m looking forward to coming back to play Hong Kong and it would be real nice to have 4 nice rounds like I had in 2008 on that Sunday,” said Daly.
“I've always enjoyed this tournament having been several times over the years, but I was amazed at how it has grown so much when I returned two years ago.
The Hong Kong Open is Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event.
Beginning in 1959, the Hong Kong Open became part of The European Tour International Schedule in the 2002 season and has a rich history of winners including nine different Major Champions who have amassed 25 Major titles between them.
Under the stewardship of UBS, the total prize fund has increased every year from US$1.2 million in the 2006 season to the US$2.5 million figure which will be on offer at the Fanling venue in November. The winner in November will pocket a cheque for US$416,660, compared to the US$200,000 won by Colin Montgomerie four years ago.
Frenchman Grégory Bourdy is the defending champion for the 2010 edition of the UBS Hong Kong Open – which will be co-sanctioned by The European Tour, the Asian Tour and the Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA).
