With length off the tee and an excellent approach game, Rahm heads our picks for the final WGC event of the year.
Course guide
The WGC-HSBC Champions has been held at the Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai for 11 of the 12 years since its launch in 2005.
The par-72 course is 7,261 yards long, with four very long par-threes and three reachable par-fives, and should suit the longer drivers, as rough around the fairways are not particularly penal.
With small greens and large greenside bunkers, however, the players who should really excel are those who are most accurate with the irons.
Scores at this event have been very low over the past 12 years, with 10 winners shooting better than 11 under par, so birdie average is another important statistic to look out for.
Back to win
Jon Rahm – {ODDS:203321077:16/1}
With length off the tee and an excellent approach game, Rahm has all the tools to win in China.
The Spaniard ranked second in shots gained off the tee and 17th in approach play on the PGA Tour in the 2017 season, as well as seventh in birdie average.
Rahm missed the cut at the Valderrama Masters last weekend, but that means he’s had plenty of rest before this event.
He’s also been in great form over the past couple of months, finishing inside the top seven in four of his last six starts.
The 22-year-old has already won twice this year, and has an excellent chance of coming out on top on his debut in Shanghai.
Each-way shouts
Francesco Molinari – {ODDS:203321125:28/1}
Molinari won in Shanghai in 2010, and is in the kind of form that suggests he can do so again this week.
The 34-year-old has finished inside the top 12 in his past two starts, including a T6 at the Italian Open a fortnight ago.
His triumph seven years ago was no fluke, either. He’s finished in the top 10 at this event on three other occasions, one of which was last year, when he finished sixth.
This course clearly suits him, and he should contend once again, having ranked third in shots gained from approach play and seventh in total shots gained in the 2017 PGA Tour season.
Tony Finau – {ODDS:203321160:40/1}
Another player making his debut in the WGC-HSBC Champions, Finau is playing so well that he has to be backed this week.
The American has finished seventh or better in three of his last four starts, including a second at the Safeway Open earlier this month.
Ranked fourth in shots gained off the tee in 2017, Finau has both the length and the accuracy with the driver to dominate this course, and his GIR percentage – the 17th-best on the PGA Tour – suggests that he won’t struggle to hit the greens.
He might not have the class to win in this strong field of players, but could easily be in contention on Sunday.
Outside bet
Bill Haas – {ODDS:203321196:66/1}
Haas is the outsider with the best chance of causing a shock in China.
The world No. 43 came fourth at this event last year, and has finished 21st on two other occasions since 2010.
Haas finished a respectable 17th at the Safeway Open and also picked up a T10 at the Dell Technologies Championship in September, so he’s in decent form heading to Shanghai.
He’s not the longest driver on tour, but he does rank 27th in GIR percentage, so finding the greens shouldn’t be a problem.
