Major champions and Ryder Cup stars Martin Kaymer and Patrick Reed have confirmed they will take part in this year’s LINK Hong Kong Open – to be staged at The Hong Kong Golf Club, November 21-24.
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The US$2 million event, which is part of The International Series on the Asian Tour, has already announced that another Major winner, Justin Rose from England, and Korea’s Tom Kim will compete in what will be the 63rd staging of the historic tournament.
Kaymer and Reed will be making their second visit to The Hong Kong Golf Club this year, after playing LIV Golf Hong Kong in March. On that occasion, Cleeks GC skipper Kaymer finished T21 while 4Aces GC star Reed was T29.
“Every time we come to Hong Kong it’s not only the golf course that is fantastic but also the people are friendly and very supportive. They are great golf fans. The hospitality of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong people, the Hong Kong government, is fantastic,” said Kaymer, winner of the 2010 PGA Championship and US Open in 2014.
The German also has a deep connection with the city, as the 2006 edition of the Hong Kong Open was his first ever as an international touring professional.
“I was standing on the putting green and right next to me was Miguel-Angel Jiménez. Ian Poulter was there too. I was quite intimidated by it because just a few months before I was playing on the German professional tour and all of a sudden I’m standing on the putting green next to these Ryder Cup players and these big boys,” Kaymer has recalled. “I was just trying to stay away from them and not interrupt their practice. So it was funny and a totally new experience for me back then.”
Reed celebrates after making par on the 18th green to cap his 2018 Masters victory. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
Reed is another star that cannot stay away from Hong Kong’s golf scene, becoming a regular visitor to the city over the past decade, with his best result a T3 in 2015. The American – who along with that historic Masters triumph in 2018 has finished top-10 in all four Majors – comes to town having also claimed four top-10 finishes across this past LIV Golf season.
For the second straight year, the LINK Hong Kong Open is part of The International Series, 10 elevated events over the course of the Asian Tour season which offer elevated prize funds and a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
This year, the LINK Hong Kong Open is the eighth event of the season, and the first of three tournaments in a thrilling season finale, with International Series Qatar and the $5 million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers closing out the campaign in quick succession.
The leading points-scorer in The International Series Rankings receives an exemption into the following season’s LIV Golf League, while the top 32 players also qualify for the LIV Golf Promotions event from 12-14 December. The innovative season-ending tournament will provide one golden ticket to the LIV Golf 2025 roster.
Tournaments on The International Series have been held across Asia, Europe and the MENA region for the past three years. In 2023, the Hong Kong Open was named The International Series Tournament of the Year and a Players’ Choice winner for Course of the Year.
Main Image: Al Tielemans
