Wiesberger has eyes on European prize

Bernd Wiesberger is aiming to achieve his "ultimate goal" of becoming Europe's Number One golfer after a superb second half of the 2019 season.

The 34-year-old sits top of the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex as he gets ready to tee up at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, but even the Austrian admitted he was not expecting to be contending after a slow start to the European Tour campaign.

As recently as May, Wiesberger was 389th in the Official World Golf Rankings following a wrist injury but has bounced back in stunning fashion, winning three of his next 13 events at the Made in Denmark presented by FREJA, Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open and Italian Open - with the latter two being Rolex Series events.

Wiesberger also recorded three further top tens in that period to surge to the summit of the Race to Dubai Rankings and to a career high 22nd in the World Rankings ahead of the event at Sheshan International Golf Club.

"It was a tough start to the year, not being able to perform as we did in the past," Wiesberger said. "But once we got past that little mound and felt comfortable on the course, felt comfortable to hit the right shots in the right situations and make the odd up-and-down more and make the odd putt more; it kind of makes you very much at ease, especially in situations when you can play these four tournaments.

"I think then that reflects in knowing the performance. So it's very special for me to be back in these World Rankings positions again from where we've dropped to.

It's a thriving golf market and people are excited to come and see us play

"The relief and enjoyment after 2018 because it was so different to what it is this year.

"It wasn't on the horizon at the beginning of the year but especially after Scotland and after Italy, I have been closer to the higher end of the rankings and more dominant that ultimate goal becomes.

"At the end of the day, we have to play well in those four weeks because there are so many points to be had and therefore we have to take it day by day and make the most of every round we have out here and those last 16 rounds of the year. I'm very excited."

Wiesberger is relishing the chance to return to China after first visiting the country on the European Challenge Tour in 2008.

He finished ninth in his last appearance at this event two years ago and hopes to maintain his recent fine form in a country he believes is thriving in the sport, on and off the course.

"I think I finished ninth last time I came here in 2017. I remember it was quite rough weather that week, it was a bit cold, a bit windy and rainy so it played quite tricky but they are the conditions I thrive in and enjoy playing in.

"We have played all 18 holes now and the course is looking magnificent, really good shape and it will be a really good event as always when we come to Shanghai.

"I have been coming for a number of years now. We started coming over in Qingdao in 2008 on the Challenge Tour and then every other year for the China Open and Shenzhen where I have won, then Shanghai and Beijing so we have covered off China pretty well already but it's special.

"It's a thriving golf market and people are excited to come and see us play too.

"The facilities they have and the golf courses we get presented are really, really good. It's going in a nice direction with the golf over here and it shows with players like (Li) Haotong and Wu Ashun; they are settling in on the biggest tours and playing well, so they have been producing a lot of good players over the years."