Some were skeptical when they started calling it "Asia's Major" back in 2005, but scan the list of entries for this week's WGC-HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai and it's increasingly difficult to argue the validity of that claim. PGATour.com columnist Rob Bolton points out that eight of the top 10 golfers in the world, and 33 of the top 50, will tee it up at Sheshan International Golf Club from Thursday to Sunday, fighting for the winner's share of the US$7 million in prize money. more ›

Looking for something to do this week? Shanghaiist has got you covered, from poker and arm wrestling tournaments to a night dedicated to The Dude. Of course, we hope to see you show off your Scrabble skills at the Shanghaiist Happy Hour on Tuesday! more ›

If you're feeling warm and generous, there's multiple chances to give back to the community this week, be it through flea market shopping, beer drinking, or wine tasting. After you stimulate the social economy a bit, indulge your international side with writers from Ireland, a comedian from New Zealand, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. more ›

This week, escape the Shanghai rainstorms by exploring Norwegian electro funk, learning about traditional Chinese medicine, or trying to score some free booze by playing pool and beer pong. Just don't forget to stop by the Shanghaiist Happy Hour on Tuesday, when we pay our tribute to the late John Hughes. more ›

The Irishness of Shanghai spiked this past weekend as Gaelic football players and their fans from all over the country converged at the 7th All-China Gaelic Games on Saturday. Held at the Shanghai Rugby Football Club in Waigaoqiao, Pudong, the Shanghai Saints and Sirens faced old rivals from Beijing, Dalian, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen, as well as newcomers from Changsha and neighboring Suzhou. The Shanghai ladies won the women's bracket, capturing the coveted cup for the first time in their club history. In the men's final, Hong Kong defeated Shanghai to win the men's cup. more ›

With RMB 1.2 million in prize money, this is the richest tournament in the tour's short history. The Nanjing leg also boasts the largest, and arguably strongest, field ever, with 144 players. And 31 of those golfers hail from outside Mainland China, another tour record.¹ In all, 14 nationalities are represented. Just two years ago it was a big deal when the once Mainland-only tour invited a handful of players from Taiwan and Hong Kong to compete in two events, now white writers attending tournaments get mistaken for competitors — things sure are changing fast. more ›

Some people must have been wondering if the HSBC Champions golf tournament at Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai was ever going to finish. Already one day longer than expected due to rain, play was extended even further this afternoon when Spain's Sergio Garcia and England's Oliver Wilson ended up tied at 14-under after 72 regulation holes. Garcia won on the second playoff hole. We're not sure how many people actually made it out to the course today, but it seems like those who did saw some good golf. Last year, Phil Mickelson, of the United States, won the tournament, also in a playoff. Read the entire Day 5 rundown here. The final leaderboard is here. more ›

If it's possible for three generations of Chinese golf to already exist (modern China didn't get its first course until 1984), they will all be proudly on display in the third round of the US$2.3 million BMW Asian Open, a European Tour event, today at Shanghai's Tomson Golf Club in Pudong. Forty-two-year-old Zhang Lianwei, the trailblazer among Chinese pros, shares the lead at 5-under with Robert-Jan Derksen of the Netherlands, one stroke clear of Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke. Liang Wenchong, 29, China's current No. 1 and the 2007 Asian Tour money leader, is tied for sixth, three strokes off the lead, along with teenager Hu Mu, a Florida-based, David Leadbetter-coached amateur who will enroll at the University of Florida this fall. And just one stroke back of that group, at 1-under, you'll find big Li Chao, 28, the top player on China's domestic circuit, the Omega China Tour. more ›