Sergio Garcia is confident of maintaining the pressure on world number two Phil Mickelson at this week's HSBC Champions in Shanghai. Victories at the Players' Championship and October's Castello Masters, as well as second place at the USPGA Championship and European Open, have propelled the Spaniard to third in the world and hot on the heels of three-time major winner Mickelson.

And with a substantial amount of world ranking points available at Sheshan International Golf Club with six of the world's top 10 on show this week, Garcia is looking to cut the defending champion's slender advantage.

Open and USPGA Championship winner Pádraig Harrington, European Tour Order of Merit winner Robert Karlsson, Colombia's Camilo Villegas and American Anthony Kim are in the field, as well as top-20 trio Henrik Stenson, KJ Choi and Geoff Ogilvy.

"I have moved up the world rankings and I am excited about that and I am looking to keep going in the same direction, keep moving forward and see if I can get the number two spot," said Garcia, who ended 2007 as world number 12.

"It's been a good consistent year and if I play well this week I can really move fairly close to the second spot in the world. It's something exciting, something I'm driving towards, and this week is a good week to have a chance at it.

"If I do well and win or come close to it, that's what I need to do to have a chance. I feel like I'm playing well and while my legs are a bit heavier, I'm just trying to finish the year strongly and see if I can get as close as I can and then have a chance next year with another good, solid season."

Garcia, who ended the 2008 season ninth on the Order of Merit after finishing tied for fourth at the season-ending Volvo Masters, will also look to kick-start his Race to Dubai at the start of the 2009 European Tour season.

"I think we are talking about a new era for European golf," added the 28-year-old. "It's looking like a pretty solid season so I look forward to keep going the right way and getting off to a good start."