Marc Leishman has revealed a personal mission to consistently challenge the world's best as the driving force behind his hot year on the US PGA Tour.
The 33-year-old Australian feels he is beginning to shed his habit of only playing well in patches - backing up his breakthrough, two-win 2017 season with a runner-up result last week in his first event of the 2018 series.
Although suffering a heartbreaking sudden-death play-off loss to Justin Thomas at the CJ Cup in South Korea, Leishman is relishing regular contention as he gears up for this week's elite World Golf Championships event in China.
"In the past, I'd have good weeks and then I'd go missing for a couple months, so I was set on not doing that again," Leishman told AAP.
The Victorian rinsed his approach on the second extra hole and Thomas pounced, the 24-year-old bagging his fifth Tour victory of the calendar year weeks after claiming the $US10 million ($A13 million) FedEx Cup title.
But Leishman has no time to dwell on the loss, turning his attention to a 78-man field featuring 18 of the world's top 25 golfers at Shanghai's Sheshan International Golf Club.
"I try and learn a lot from tournaments I don't win; I feel that's where I can improve this next year. When I'm going into Sunday in the top-10, I feel I can turn those into top-fives and even wins," Leishman said.
Rising to a career-high ranking of world No.12, Leishman is considered a tournament heavyweight this week.
He led the field in Korea for putts per green in regulation and boasts two top-15 results in Shanghai.
But Leishman will face stiff competition from a star-studded line-up including defending champion Hideki Matsuyama, world No.1 Dustin Johnson and fellow top-10 golfers Jon Rahm, Jason Day and Henrik Stenson.
Coming off a share of 11th in Korea, Australian world No.8 Day plays his final event before the Australian Open next month - his first homecoming trip since 2013.
"Playing (in Asia) hopefully will allow me to come to the Australian Open feeling good about my game," said Day, who is yet to taste victory in 2017.
Also in the field is Australian world No.25 Adam Scott, who finished 25th in Korea.
In five appearances at Sheshan, the 37-year-old has four top 25s including a tie for 14th last year.
Rounding out the Australian contingent in China are Andrew Dodt, Matt Griffin, Ashley Hall and Scott Hend.
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