Ernie Els makes the long trek from South Carolina to Shanghai for this week's Asian Open aiming to go one better than his second-place finish at the PGA Tour's Heritage Classic.

"I've got to keep knocking on the door," the three-times major winner told reporters after being pipped by American Boo Weekley by one stroke at the weather-delayed event in Hilton Head on Monday. "I didn't win, that's disappointing, but this is a step in the right direction."

The South African will have to fight off jet-lag and strong opposition when he switches his attention back to the European Tour in Thursday's opening round at the Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club.

Fellow countryman Retief Goosen, American John Daly and British pair Paul Casey and Colin Montgomerie are among the contenders for the first prize in China.

Goosen said he was looking forward to making his debut in the tournament.

"(Sponsor) BMW has been such a great part of the European Tour for a long time and they always put up world-class events," said the twice former U.S. Open champion.

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano celebrated his Asian Open victory last year by announcing he was going to propose to his girlfriend Alicia. Six months later they got married.

"It is always nice to defend a title and Alicia will be here with me which makes it very special," the Spaniard said.

The course has a new layout this year, with the old 15th hole now playing as the 18th, and Fernandez-Castano expects another tricky test.

"The holes which used to be the 16th and 17th, which we will play as the 10th and 11th this time, stand out as two of the key holes and they were certainly really difficult finishing holes," he said.

Europeans have won every edition of the Asian Open except for 2005 when Els stormed to a 13-stroke victory.

The tournament, which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Chinese Golf Association, carries a prize fund of $2.3 million.