Tiger excited by China trip

Mickelson (L) and Woods set to lock horns in Shanghai

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Tiger Woods has compared the elevation of the Shanghai Champions event to World Golf Championship status with golf's inclusion in the Olympic Games.

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The world number one makes his third trip to play in the tournament this week and will be looking to go one better than his previous two attempts when he finished as runner-up on both occasions.

Woods will now have the extra incentive of landing a 17th World Golf Championship title when he gets his campaign underway on Thursday and feels the move will greatly benefit the development of the game in Asia.

"Olympic status will help grow the sport in so many of the emerging golf markets, including China. But holding our first WGC event here is another key moment," said the American in a statement.

"This tournament will play a big part in spreading the recognition and appeal of golf worldwide.

"I am excited to be playing this tournament, and I am equally excited that it is being contested in China."

Another motivating factor for Woods this week is the chance for revenge on YE Yang - Asia's first major champion.

The Korean held off the world number one to win the Champions event in 2006 and then repeated the feat in sensational style at the USPGA Championship back in August to claim the region's maiden major crown.

Yang admits his victory in China three years ago played a key role in his triumph at Hazeltine, stating: "I was drawing on the feelings I had when I won in Shanghai. I was trying to recapture the calmness and the serenity, and it worked."

Star-studded field

Others leading names in a star-studded field include 2007 champion and world number two Phil Mickelson and last year's victor, Sergio Garcia.

Mickelson will be going head-to-head with great rival Woods for the first time in Shanghai and is relishing the prospect.

"It has always attracted strong fields and has a great reputation worldwide and I'm really looking forward to trying to reclaim my title," he declared.

Garcia also has designs on victory in China as he has another chance to successfully defend a title for the first time in his career.

"I'll be defending champion on a course I really enjoy and it goes without saying I'd love this to be the first tournament of my career that I successfully defend," added the world number nine.