Rory McIlroy was hoping to continue his excellent late-season form and claim a trophy that has narrowly avoided him so far at the WGC-HSBC Champions.
The four-time Major Championship winner has enjoyed another sparkling season, claiming eight top tens from ten European Tour starts, including a win at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation.
He has enjoyed an equally productive season in the United States, winning the FedEx Cup and starring at The Ryder Cup despite Europe suffering defeat for the first time in eight years at Hazeltine National.
The Northern Irishman is currently third in the Race to Dubai and is now looking to maintain his momentum into the Final Series as he looks to be Europe's number one for the third season in a row.
"I'm excited," he said. "After what happened in the States with the FedEx Cup and then at The Ryder Cup, I really wanted to regroup and sort of recharge the batteries a little bit. It was a long stretch of golf.
"I wanted to come into these weeks feeling fresh and feeling ready to go and hopefully play some good golf and give myself a chance to win another Race to Dubai."
McIlroy's career record in World Golf Championships events is impressive, with 17 top tens from 27 events, including four in five starts at Sheshan International Golf Club.
The trophy has so far eluded him in Shanghai, however, and he is aiming to put that right this week and add to his Bridgestone Invitational and Cadillac Match Play titles.
Another WGC and another one of those Wedgewood trophies would be very nice - Rory McIlroy
"It's my sixth time in Shanghai, and I don't think I've finished worse than 11th," he said. "So I've played well here but not quite well enough to win. Hopefully I can try to change that this week.
"It would be nice to get another WGC under the belt and keep that run going."
McIlroy's two WGC wins put him third on the all-time list - with Tiger Woods leading the way with a remarkable 18 titles - and the 27 year old is hopeful he can start closing the gap on the 14-time Major Championship winner.
"I know Tiger's won 18 of these things," he said. "It would be nice to try and move up that list a little bit, too.
"I feel like I'm playing well enough and I've showed enough good form around this golf course before that I'm confident I can give myself a chance this week. Another WGC and another one of those Wedgewood trophies would be very nice."
