The HSBC Champions begins this week in Shanghai. It's a pleasant little late-season tourney that attracts its share of journeymen and ... what's that? It's got both those guys in the photo above? Wow. Um ... nice!

Yes, the HSBC Champions has ascended to true World Golf Championship status by running out a field that would be the envy of any tournament this side of Augusta. Tiger Woods is there, and so is Phil Mickelson, both of whom are apparently trying to put the ball right through the hole in that Shanghai skyscraper above -- or, barring that, drive one through the skull of somebody standing on the deck of that unfortunately-positioned yacht.

This is a watershed moment in Asian golf; the tournament at Sheshan International Golf Club will bring 15 of the top 20 players in the world, and it's the latest testament to golf's spiraling popularity all over the globe. Players like Mickelson are now turning their eyes to locales outside the United States to play, and by all indications, everyone's interested in seeing this little game get much, much bigger:

"I think that we would love to help grow the game throughout the world," Mickelson said. "Our participation helps grow awareness, it can spark interest in youth to get them started. If we can get kids interested in the game, I think in 15 to 20 years is when we'll see golf prosper in China."

The tournament begins Thursday, and oh yes, we'll have coverage.

Related: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson