The Int'l Federation of PGA Tours, the China Golf Association and the Shanghai Administration of Sport revealed that the HSBC Champions will become part of the PGA Tour's FedExCup schedule. The money earned at the HSBC Champions will count as official money on the PGA Tour, and the winner will earn a three-year exemption on the PGA Tour, with the opportunity to join the organization if he is a non-member. The HSBC Champions will also award full FedExCup points, plus the 10% premium awarded by all World Golf Championships compared to a regular PGA Tour event. The total purse will also increase from $7M to $8.5M. These changes bring the HSBC Champions in line with the other three World Golf Championships played in the U.S. In addition, HSBC revealed it will extend its title sponsorship of the HSBC Champions for three additional years, through '15. Furthermore, the HSBC Champions, which enjoyed a successful, one-year staging on the Olazabal Course at Mission Hills Golf Club Guangdong last week, will return to Shanghai permanently with an official signing ceremony taking place at HSBC's headquarters in Shanghai on Monday. In '13, the event will once again be played at the Sheshan Int'l Golf Club in Shanghai, where it was staged for seven years ('05-11) (PGA Tour). The AFP wrote PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said that "the PGA would continue to exert its policy of not letting players receive appearance fees -- raising the spectre of more no-shows" after Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, the world No. 1 and 2 respectively, opted out this year (AFP, 11/4).
