US golfer Tiger Woods tees off during the Pro-Am of the HSBC Champions golf tournament in Shanghai on November 4, 2009. (PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP)

SHANGHAI, November 4, 2009 (AFP) - Tiger Woods is once again the man to beat this week, and with the world number one having won 16 of the 30 World Golf Championship events he has entered, no one is betting against him.

The American is in a league of his own when it comes to performing at elite tournaments, and he said Wednesday he would do what he always does when he tees off at the seven million dollar HSBC Champions.

"Simple strategy: finish lower than anybody else," said Woods, who won his first World Golf Championship event at the NEC Invitational in 1999 and his last in August at the Bridgestone Invitational.

"I've enjoyed playing against such great fields. For some reason, I've had a lot of success."

That's an understatement from a player who has notched up 95 international career victories, including 14 Majors.

Woods has played Shanghai twice before, in 2005 and 2006, and finished second both times, to England's David Howell and then South Korea's Yang Yong-Eun.

His plan is to improve on that this week.

"I've come close a couple of times and hopefully this week I can put my game together and improve on those finishes," said Woods, who plays his opening two rounds with Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and England's Ross Fisher.

"It is a big event. Having this now become a World Golf Championship event, I think everyone is excited about what this tournament means in the scope of things, not just here in China but the whole of Asia."

The elite World Golf Championships bring together tournament winners and the best players from the International Federation of PGA Tours. There are only four events each year.

While the 78-man field includes 15 of the world's top 20, Phil Mickelson is seen as Woods' main rival, with the two competing together in Asia for the first time.

Mickelson said he hoped they were both in contention on Sunday.

"I'm excited that Tiger and I are in the same event in China. It should provide some exposure for golf in the country," he said.

"I'm hoping that we can compete head-to-head and are in contention."

Defending champion Sergio Garcia, who is paired with Lee Westwood and Stewart Cink, also expects to be in the hunt and said he felt no pressure.

"I would actually say being defending champion brings confidence," he said.

"It brings me good thoughts. It's a course where I have done well so that's always a positive thing."

Garcia's victory here last year helped propel him to a career-high of second in the world rankings and he said he hoped another good showing would help kick-start what has been a disappointing season by his standards.

"It's a great opportunity to play well and not only get some good world ranking points but also some Ryder Cup points," he said.

"I feel like the game is starting to be pretty good."

As well as Woods, Mickelson, and Garcia, the strong field also boasts 2009 US PGA Tour winners Brian Gay, Jerry Kelly and Sean O'Hair, along with Cink, who pipped Tom Watson for The Open at Turnberry in July.

The European challenge is headed by current Race to Dubai leader Westwood, world number four Paul Casey, three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington and last weekend's World Matchplay champion Fisher.

Asia's contingent includes the region's first Major winner Yang, Thailand's Thongchai and Chinese number one Liang Wenchong, who finished second last weekend at the Singapore Open.