8

Major champions in this week’s World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions — Phil Mickelson (five majors), Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose, Charl Schwartzel, Adam Scott and Henrik Stenson. There are also nine WGC winners in the field — Johnson (five titles), Day (two), Hideki Matsuyama (two), Scott (two), Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed, Rose and Stenson.

KEY PAIRINGS

In a stacked field, Matsuyama begins defense of his title alongside world No. 1 Johnson and Jon Rahm (10:50 p.m. ET Wednesday). Day is out with Stenson and reigning U.S. Open champion Koepka

(9:50 p.m.). Reed plays alongside Mickelson and reigning Players champion Si Woo Kim

(9:30 p.m.). Kuchar is grouped with Rose and Paul Casey

(10:40 p.m.).

FEDEXCUP

Before he went on an extended break, reigning FedExCup champion Justin Thomas won the inaugural CJ Cup at Nine Bridges last weekend — his sixth win in his last 26 starts — and moved into the top 10 as he tries to become the first back-to-back winner of the season-long contest. The Tour’s fifth wrap-around season consists of 45 events before the FedExCup Playoffs begins. The Tour Championship Sept. 20-23 in Atlanta is the playoffs finale.

1. Pat Perez .......................... 590

2. Brendan Steele ............... 556

3. Justin Thomas ................ 548

4. Tony Finau ....................... 333

5. Keegan Bradley ............. 309

6. Marc Leishman .............. 300

7. Cameron Smith ............... 295

8. Sung Kang ........................ 173

9. Nick Taylor ....................... 167

10. Xander Schauffele ........ 165

WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPSHSBC CHAMPIONS

Site: Course: Shanghai Sheshan International

GC. Yardage: 7,266. Par: 72.

Purse: $9.75 million. ( Win

ner’s share: $1.66 million). TV (ET): Wednesday-Thursday,

10 p.m. to 4 a.m. (Golf Channel); Friday-Saturday, 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. (Golf Channel)