For the global HSBC team, it was one of the busiest weeks of the year this month, as the WGCHSBC Champions took place in Shanghai.

The tournament is HSBC’s flagship golf sponsorship, bringing together the best players in the world in one of HSBC’s spiritual homes.

This year’s field included five of the top six players in the world, 10 of the victorious European Ryder Cup team, China’s No.1, Li Haotong and five past champions; Francesco Molinari (2010), Ian Poulter (2012), Dustin Johnson (2013), Russell Knox (2015) and Hideki Matsuyama (2016).

The 78 players in the field competed for a prize fund of US$10 million and a first prize of US$1.7 million.

However, before the golf got underway, the H+K London, Shanghai and Dubai teams were busy preparing for the biggest moment of the week: the launch event.

As with each HSBC tournament, the launch event (which signals the start of the week) is a way for HSBC to evidence its mission to help grow the game of golf both locally and globally and is a chance for the players to have a bit of fun before the tournament gets under way.

This year was no different.

HSBC brought together five of the star-studded field for a unique Europe vs USA re-match aimed at helping grow the game in China.

The event saw new World Number One Brooks Koepka, World Number Two Dustin Johnson, defending champion and World Number Three Justin Rose, World Number Five Rory McIlroy and World Number Six Francesco Molinari try their hand at one of China’s biggest sports.

The players swapped their drivers for badminton rackets on a specially constructed court outside the Chamber of Commerce Shanghai, in an event designed to appeal to Chinese fans and bring to life the ever-closer connection between Chinese culture and world-class golf.

Badminton is one of the most popular sports in China and so giving these iconic golfers the chance to try the sport is designed to bring even more Chinese fans into contact with the game of golf.

The event featured a coaching session given by former badminton World Champion Wang Lin, a star in China who was able to put the golf pro’s through their paces. HSBC is also partner of the Badminton World Federation.

The event was designed, produced and run by H+K.