A significant contingent of LIV Golf players, including Charles Howell III, are set to compete in the Hong Kong Open, vying for a coveted spot in the Masters Tournament and The Open Championship. This year marks the first time the Hong Kong Open champion will receive an invitation to both prestigious major tournaments.
Howell is among approximately 29 LIV Golf players who have committed to the event, seeking qualification for Augusta National and Royal Birkdale. Since joining LIV Golf in July 2022, after 607 starts on the PGA Tour as a professional, Howell has exclusively participated in LIV events.
The Hong Kong Open, a historic championship dating back to 1959, has attracted a decorated list of past winners, including Peter Thomson, Greg Norman, Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson, Jose Maria Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie, Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy, and Justin Rose. The tournament is not only a chance to secure major championship berths but also offers valuable points on the International Series Rankings, which awards a LIV Golf card to the year-end leader.
Patrick Reed, the defending champion, returns to the Hong Kong Golf Club, where last year he shot a 59 en route to victory, marking only the second instance of such a score in Asian Tour history. Reed will face competition from a strong field of LIV Golf colleagues, including Talor Gooch, Harold Varner III, Dean Burmester, Adrian Meronk, Louis Oosthuizen, and Charl Schwartzel.
Several LIV players who participated in the International Series Philippines have also made the trip to Hong Kong. Notably absent is Bubba Watson, who withdrew due to a finger injury requiring surgery. Former LIV player Scott Vincent currently leads the International Series rankings.
The Hong Kong Open has a $2,000,000 purse. The event is the seventh of the season on The International Series, with ranking points and major spots on the line. The competition will take place at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling on its Composite Course, a par-70, 6,700-yard layout. This venue is the only course other than Augusta National to host the same professional event annually since 1959.
For Howell, the Hong Kong Open presents another opportunity to compete. In 2024, Howell finished T8 at LIV Golf Hong Kong.
Other LIV golfers in the field include Graeme McDowell, Kevin Na, Richard Bland, Thomas Pieters, Jinichiro Kozuma, Matt Jones, Josele Ballester, Jason Kokrak, Sam Horsfield, Danny Lee, Tom McKibbin, David Puig, Martin Kaymer, Charl Schwartzel, Paul Casey, Chieh-po Lee, Caleb Surratt, Peter Uihlein, Ben Campbell, and Anirban Lahiri. Reserves such as Wade Ormsby, John Catlin, and Ollie Schniderjans are also participating, along with relegated players Anthony Kim and Yubin Jang.
Besides the Hong Kong Open, two other opportunities remain for LIV players to earn spots in the Masters: the Australian Open in early December and the South African Open in late February.
