By the Numbers: WGC-HSBC Champions

Many of the biggest names in golf took a break from their autumn vacation to play the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions this weekend in Shanghai, and many of those stars posted stellar numbers. The best performance was turned in by winner Dustin Johnson, who fended off half of last year’s European Ryder Cup team to secure his first victory since January.

Take a look at Johnson’s numbers, as well as some of the impressive ones put up by his foes:

264: Johnson’s final 72-hole score, making the 24-under performance a tournament record.

5: Strokes under par that Johnson played his final six holes Sunday. After taking the lead with 10 birdies and a bogey on Friday, he stroked 10 more birdies on Saturday but also carded two double-bogeys. One of those came on 18, and he began Sunday with bogey, meaning he dropped three shots in consecutive holes. But Johnson evened out, and put things away with a pitch-in eagle on 16.

$1.4 million: The amount of Johnson’s winner’s check, one of the largest in golf and only a shade less than the pot given to major winners.

7: Number of consecutive seasons that Johnson has won at least one PGA Tour event. That’s also the same number of years he’s been on the tour. The only player who won in more consecutive years to start a career was Tiger Woods, who took a title at least once during his first 14 seasons.

6: Number of players who finished among the top 10 in Shanghai and also competed for Europe at the 2012 Ryder Cup: Ian Poulter took second (-21), Graeme McDowell third (-20), Sergio Garcia fourth (-18), Justin Rose fifth (-16), Rory McIlroy T-6 (-15) and Martin Kaymer T-8 (-14).

4: Number of Americans who placed among the top 14 in Shanghai and also competed in last year’s Ryder Cup: Johnson took first, Bubba Watson T-8 (-14), Keegan Bradley T-11 (-13) and Phil Mickelson 14th (-12).

62: The low round of the tournament, shot by Kaymer on Saturday to set the Sheshan International course record. The German won the HSBC Champions two years ago, largely due to tying the course record at 63 in the final round.

63: Johnson’s score on Friday, Poulter’s score on Saturday, and Garcia’s and Richard Sterne’s score on Sunday.

14: Number of players who left China with a six-figure check. Despite finishing 12 shots back, Mickelson walked with $100k.

Related Links: Paulina Gretzky, Dustin Johnson Really Love Animals

Other Hot Links:
TV Preview: Back9Network Original Programming
New EA Sports Golf Game to Feature More Courses
Best Halloween Pictures from the Golf World