Sergio Garcia is looking to build on his excellent WGC-HSBC Champions record this week at Sheshan International.
The Spaniard lies third on The Race to Dubai entering the second event of the Final Series in Shanghai, and is keen to continue his good recent form despite admitting that his chances of catching Rory McIlroy at the top of the standings appear remote.
“It's good to be back at Sheshan,” said Garcia, who won this event before it gained World Golf Championships status in 2009, and has been a runner-up in four of his last nine starts this season.
“I have been fortunate to play nicely in the past year, and be a past champion, which is always nice to do when you go back to a course where you've done well, so I’m excited about another good week here.
“There is a very strong field for a very good tournament. Hopefully we can keep going in the same direction that we've been going all year.”
Asked about what would be required to dislodge McIlroy - who leads Jamie Donaldson by over 3,000,000 points - by the end of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, the 34 year old added: “If I win all three tournaments and Rory doesn't play, then I have a chance.
“I'm not really thinking about that much. I just want to have three good tournaments to finish with, try to finish second there and it would be a nice way to close out the year.
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is to keep playing well and keep enjoying it and try to do the best we can these next few weeks.”
As well as being a former winner, Garcia was fourth last year and so knows what is required in order to be in contention come Sunday.
“I think it's the kind of golf course that if you play solid, you can give yourself a lot of chances,” said Garcia.
“I think the par fives are pretty much all reachable, maybe eight from the back tees becomes a little bit tough and sometimes 18 if it plays into the wind.
“But other than that, you have a couple of drivable par fours or you can get it really, really close to the green, which are also birdie chances if you play them well.
“It's just a matter of playing those tougher holes well. Usually the course is in such great condition - the greens are usually really, really good. If you give yourself chances, usually you can make a lot of putts; I think that's one reason why the scoring has always been good.”
One player who expects the good scoring to be curtailed slightly this year is Garcia’s Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose.
The Englishman sits fifth on The Race to Dubai after finishing fourth at last week’s birdie-fest at the BMW Masters on the other side of town, but believes the lay-out this week has been toughened up.
“I know this course relatively well and I think it's set up much differently from last year,” said the former US Open Champion.
“If you look at the scoring of last year's tournament, I don't see that being on the cards this year.
“The rough is a lot thicker and the greens feel firmer, and if we don't get much rain, they will continue to firm out.
“I think it's going to be a good test of golf - you're going to have to drive the ball very, very well this week. The course offers you an opportunity to put a good score together but it's not going to be like last year.
“I thought the course looked incredibly narrow and I don't know if it's because there's more definition between the cut stuff and the thick stuff. I thought the fairways were a yard or two narrower than last year for sure.
“You have to drive the ball very, very well. Basically the landing areas are fairly tight, especially on some angles, like hole ten, for example, where I was hitting driver last year, doesn't seem like the prudent play this year. I think for sure the test off the tee seems more extreme this year.”
