HSBC Champs to join PGA Tour

Shenzhen, China - Organisers have said the HSBC Champions will become an official PGA Tour event next year.

They added on Sunday that the total purse at the World Golf Championship event will increase to $8.5m from the current $7m.

The event is currently the only one of the four WGC events not fully recognised by the PGA Tour. A win is only considered a PGA Tour victory if the winner is a PGA Tour member, but the prize money is not counted toward the player's PGA Tour money list.

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said starting next year, the HSBC Champions will be elevated to the same status as the other three WGC events-the Accenture Match Play Championship, the Cadillac Championship and the Bridgestone Invitational. All three of those events are played in the United States.