World number two Vijay Singh can edge closer to his goal of deposing top man Tiger Woods with victory in the Volvo PGA Championship, which starts at Wentworth today.

It is the Fijian's first appearance at Europe's flagship event since 2001 and a rare appearance on the European Tour for the 41-year-old, who is in a rich vein of form with three 2004 US Tour wins that see him top the American money list he won last year.

Singh and world number three Ernie Els, who have both won the World Matchplay title on the Surrey course, will be gunning for a $750,000 first prize, though even that would not quite be enough for Singh to end the five-year number-on run of Woods, who is not playing this week.

For some, however, including Els, Singh is already the best in the world.

"If that's what he (Els) says, then I have to agree with him," joked Singh on Wednesday.

"There's a lot of talk about the ranking system, but it's one system we cannot break. It's there for a reason and I guess as much as I'd like to be world number one I think the ranking speaks for itself.

"I won't be fulfilled by all that talk unless I'm number one in the world rankings, that's my goal, when it's official.

"It's not really Tiger that I'm concerned about. I've made a goal that I want to finish my career, and I think I have about six or seven years left at the top, at least once ranked number one in the world.

"I feel this is maybe the year that I could make that."

While Singh has won a US Masters and a US PGA Championship, he felt winning more majors would be the only way of toppling Woods.

"We are playing three links courses for the next three majors and hopefully I can strike it lucky in one of them," he said. "I also want to get my 20th win on the US Tour," added the Fijian, who currently has 18 to his name.

Colin Montgomerie, three-times a winner of the event could rescue his major chances with a fourth success but it looks a long shot as the Scot has struggled badly in recent weeks as he deals with the distraction of his divorce.

Victory would hand him a British Open exemption and also ensure he rises back into the world's top 50 after slipping to 56th last week, and so qualify for the US Open.

This year marks the 50th edition of the PGA event and also the European Tour's 1,000th tournament since it began in 1972.

The winner of the very first event, the Spanish Open, was Antonio Garrido and his son Ignacio is the defending champion this week at Wentworth.

This will be the last year of Volvo sponsorship, however, as officials announced on Wednesday that the 17-year partnership would come to and end.

The company will, however, extending its backing of other tour events, such as the Volvo Masters, for three more years.