McGinley's Chinese torture

Ryder Cup star Paul McGinley faces two weeks of Chinese torture to qualify for next month's $5 million HSBC Champions Tournament in Shanghai.

World No1 Tiger Woods will be back at Sheshan International Golf Club from 9-12 November alongside Padraig Harrington and a host of tournament winners from around the globe.

But McGinley could find himself as the only member of Europe's winning Ryder Cup team to be left out in the cold - unless he can win

Eleven of Europe's K Club heroes have already qualified for the Chinese event as members of the world's top 50.

And while McGinley can still qualify by taking either the Mallorca Classic or the Volvo Masters titles over the next two weeks, his recent poor form could see him relying one of eight sponsors' invitations.

The 80-man event brings together winners across four golf tours, matching them with the best players in the Official World Rankings and the winners of events on the European, Asian, Sunshine and Australiasian Tours since 7 November last year.

HSBC has also made provision to invite eight Chinese players and offer "a limited number of invitations" to be mutually agreed between HSBC, tournament organisers IMG and the Tours.

McGinley should get an invite on his Ryder Cup credentials but the fact that he is managed by ISM and not management giants IMG, who are running the event, won't make life any easier.

After missing the cut in last week's Dunhill Links by a shot - his sixth failure my the minimum margin this year - McGinley is well outside the top 20 in the Order of Merit who also qualify for the megabucks Shanghai event.

McGinley said: "I felt I played well from tee to green but putted poorly. With a low scoring first two days I lost a lot of ground to the field when the weather was mild with no wind and I didn’t make enough birdies or convert my opportunity to stay on the pace of the leaders.

"I left myself a lot of work to make the cut and came up just short by a shot for the sixth time this year. I felt I played well last week again but my scoring is not reflecting the way I have been hitting the ball as has been the case for most of this season."

Woods narrowly missed out on claiming the inaugural HSBC Champions last November, finishing three shots behind England's David Howell.

A star-studded field is already taking shape but so far only Harrington and Darren Clarke are assured of their places.

World No 97 McDowell is in the same position as McGinley will not be in Mallorca next week but can still qualify by winning the clashing Indian Open or the Volvo Masters.

The Hero Honda Indian Open is one of 73 tournaments worldwide offering a winner's exemption.

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