Two of the UBS Hong Kong Open’s most flamboyant recent champions – Ian Poulter and Miguel Angel Jiménez – will once again inject their unique personalities to the tournament at the Hong Kong Golf Club from December 8 to 11.
The Englishman and the Spaniard will join defending champion and Olympic Gold medallist Justin Rose, Masters champion Danny Willett and Ryder Cup stars Patrick Reed and Rafa Cabrera Bello to headline a cosmopolitan field bursting with star power.
Poulter, one of Europe’s greatest Ryder Cup players, won the UBS Hong Kong Open in 2010 – one of 16 victories around the globe for the 40-year-old, who will bring his own brand of vibrant passion to Fanling next month.
He said: “I’m delighted to be making my way back to Hong Kong for this year’s UBS Hong Kong Open. It’s no surprise that the same players go back there as often as they possibly can because it is just one of those tournaments you don’t want to miss. Guys like Miguel and myself just love the tournament, the golf course and the city itself. There are good reasons why we always come back! It looks like we are going to have another brilliant event with a great field shaping up.”
Jiménez, who has won 24 times in an incredible career, shares the record for number of victories (four) in the UBS Hong Kong Open history books with Taiwan’s Hsieh Yung-yo, who won his Hong Kong Open titles between 1963 and 1977.
The irrepressible 52-year-old has been the most dominant player of the modern era at Fanling, remarkably winning all of his UBS Hong Kong Open titles after the age of 40. He is hopeful of claiming the all-time record of number of victories in a few weeks’ time.
“I’m not sure what more I can say about how much I love the UBS Hong Kong Open,” said the Spaniard who last held aloft the trophy in 2013. “Everyone knows that this is one of the most special tournaments in the world for me, and to have won it four times is one of the greatest achievements of my career.”
“Hong Kong is one of my favourite places in the world, and Fanling is a very special golf club with a beautiful history and a classic course which has stood the test of time. Also the clubhouse and the terrace where we have lunch has an amazing atmosphere and is one of my favourite places in the world to enjoy a nice glass of wine and a cigar after a great round of golf”, Jiménez added.
Supported by the Hong Kong Mega Events Fund, the UBS Hong Kong Open is the longest-running sporting event in Asia and is tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Hong Kong Golf Association. In a new move for 2016, entry to the first two rounds on Thursday 8 and Friday 9, December will be free of charge. Visitors under 21 can enjoy free entry to the Saturday and Sunday as well.