Golf-Mickelson defends in Shanghai, new era for Europe

Phil Mickelson wants to cement his new reputation as a globe-trotting golfer by defending his HSBC Champions title as the European Tour begins a new era at the $5 million tournament in Shanghai this weekend.

The world number two heads a strong field with six of the seven top active players in the world, including British Open and U.S. PGA champion Padraig Harrington, Spain's Sergio Garcia and newly-crowned European champion Robert Karlsson of Sweden.

Mickelson had a reputation as a poor traveller before last year's playoff victory but enjoyed playing outside the U.S. so much he will this week discuss with officials taking up a European tour card for 2009.

"Winning in Shanghai was a very big win for me, it was one of my biggest wins internationally and gave me a lot of exposure into China and into many of the Asian markets," the 38-year-old left-hander told a teleconference last week.

The Champions is Asia's joint richest event and the first tournament of the 2009 European season, which has been dubbed the "Race to Dubai" as players battle for the right to compete for $20 million at the tour championship in the United Arab Emirates.

TOUR FINALE

Ireland's Harrington will be flying to China from this season's tour finale at the Volvo Masters in Spain, where he narrowly lost out to Karlsson in the order of merit race.

"I'm keen to go play," said the world number five. "I'm trying not to get into my winter mode of changing things and practising. I have two more weeks to go so just try and stick with it and then we can do what we like."