SHANGHAI: Despite a poor finish at the CIMB Classic, SSP Chawrasia managed to make it to USD 9.75 million WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai as he held on to his Top-4 position in Asian Tour Order of Merit standings.
A bad finish at the CIMB robbed him of a chance to move up in Asian Tour Order of Merit and at one point it seemed that a couple of players mights move ahead of his fourth place and edge him out of the Top-4, but when the the final standings came out after the tournament, it fortunately showed him in the fourth place.
The other players who could have displaced Chawrasia, dropped a couple of shots and fell down the leaderboard.
"I was sad for them but relieved that I had made it to the WGC," said Chawrasia about the Asia's biggest event.
"As a no-cut event with lot of World Ranking points, it is a big event for all of us and a chance to play with the best guys in the world. I was very keen on it," he added.
Excited to get the last Asian Tour spot in the tournament, Chawrasia said: "I thought I would not be playing as I did not really do well in Malaysia especially on the final day. But I am glad I am in now and the next thing I got to focus on is to play well. I am working a lot on my putting as that's an area which needs some work.
"If I can get my putter going this week, I am confident it will be a good week. I am still experiencing some muscle strain on my left thigh and have been seeing the physio.
Hopefully, it gets better and I'll be able to play well." The strong Asian Challenge at the WGC-HSBC features four Order of Merit champions along with Tour winners who hold more than 20 victories in total.
The final World Golf Championship of the year will be played at the Sheshan International Golf Club.
Malaysia's Gavin Green, who is currently leading the Order of Merit, will spearhead the Asian Tour charge that includes Korean-American David Lipsky, Australia's Scott Hend, besides Chawrasia.
Other Asian Tour stars at the WGC-HSBC Champions are Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Phachara Khongwatmai, Poom Saksansin, Japan's Daisuke Kataoka and Shugo Imahira, Australia's Andrew Dodt and the Chinese duo of Liang Wen-chong and Liu Yan-wei.
Their title ambitions will be put to test by the might of defending champion and world number four Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, and world number one and 2013 Champion Dustin Johnson.
The star-studded field will also include the three Olympic medallists -- Justin Rose (gold), Henrik Stenson (silver) and Matt Kuchar (bronze) -- as well as Marc Leishman, winner of the PGA's BMW Championship earlier this month, Brooks Koepka, 2017 US Open Champion, US Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed, 2013 Masters Champion Adam Scott, and five-time Major winner Phil Mickelson.