Rd. 1: WGC-HSBC Champions

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The first groups are ready to tee off in Round 1 of the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China, 13 hours ahead of New York time. Here's how it sets up (click here for tee times):
MORE HSBC CHAMPIONS: Expert picks | Power Rankings | Approach Shots | Inside the Field
FEATURES: From A to Z | Asia's march to golf prominence | Tiger: HSBC's growth 'remarkable'

Groups We're Watching

Tee time Players   7:50 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Hole No. 10 Retief Goosen, Anthony Kim, Ryo Ishikawa The two-time U.S. Open champ will play with two bright young stars. All are ranked in the top 36 in the world. 8:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Hole No. 10 Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Y.E. Yang Mickelson looks to carry over his lights-out play. Joining him are two of the best from Europe and Asia. 8:50 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Hole No. 10 Thongchai Jaidee, Tiger Woods, Ross Fisher Woods returns to stroke play. He's with the king of Asian golf and last week's World Match Play winner.

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Chief of Correspondents Helen Ross previews Thursday's round.

Golf fans are extremely lucky this week.

Not since the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup ended six weeks ago have we seen such a star-studded field as the one gathered in Shanghai this week for the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions.

Seven of the top 10 players in the world are competing -- including the top two, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Woods is a two-time runner-up at Sheshan International Golf Club, while Mickelson won the tournament in 2007 before it became part of the World Golf Championships umbrella.

Thursday's forecast

Sunny Temp: 74 high/63 low Mostly sunny skies with comfortable temperatures.

"I think it's just great that this event has become what it's become," Woods said. "I think this event being a World Golf Championship and being here in Asia is truly remarkable; and how fast it happened, I think that's the thing that has surprised all of us is the growth of this event, but also the growth of Chinese golf. I think they are correlated.

"But to have an opportunity to play in an event this big here in Asia, it's one of the reasons why you see a lot of the top players are here, because it is a great event, and we are really looking forward to competing and playing."

Sergio Garcia, who is ranked No. 9 in the world, returns to defend the title he won when he birdied the second hole of a playoff with Oliver Wilson. Another former champion returning is Korea's Y.E. Yang, who held off Woods in 2006 just as he did last year at the PGA Championship.

Those of us in the States will have to adjust our viewing habits a little, though. The first tee time is 7:50 p.m. ET Wednesday, and we'll have live scoring on PGATOUR.COM

For you night owls, television coverage on GOLF CHANNEL begins at 11 p.m. ET and runs until 3 a.m. If you're the kind of person who likes his sleep, though, you can either fire up the DVR or watch the replay from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Thursday.

Stat of the Day

A total of 22 countries are represented in the field, including Asian nations China, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. The Chinese players in the field are Zhang Lian-Wei (pictured), Wu Ashan, Wu Wei-Huang and Liang Wen Chong.

The Film Room

Preview: 2009 World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions Sergio Garcia looks to defend his title as the top golfers from around the world head to Sheshan International Golf Course for the 2009 World Golf Championships - HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China. Watch it In the Bag: Sergio Garcia Spain's Sergio Garcia, winner of the 2008 World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, gives us an inside look at what he carries in his bag. Watch it PGA TOUR Today: November 4, 2009 Win McMurry previews the opening round of the 2009 World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions where Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson headline a stellar field in Shanghai, China, for the final World Golf Championships event of the season. Watch it