New Zealand rookie Nick Voke has his eyes on a quick progression to the PGA TOUR but knows such a journey starts with finishing in the top five on the PGA TOUR-China Order of Merit.

Victor in two of three events he has played in China – he was fourth in his tour debut – Voke enters this week’s Zhuhai Championship at Orient Golf Club in third position on the moneylist and well placed to claim one of the five Web.com Tour cards given to the highest finishers on the Order of Merit.

It’s been a rapid rise for the 23-year-old who only graduated from Iowa State University last year but he possesses the confidence to want to take his game to the United States as soon as possible.

“Getting on the PGA TOUR is the ultimate aim, so I just need to keep improving and getting better,” said Voke, who will play the first two rounds this week with Korean Todd Baek and China’s Zihao Chen.

“When I started at the Suzhou Open (a tie for fourth), I just wanted to earn a Tour card here. Then after Qinhuangdao (where he won his first professional title), I wanted to get into the top 10. Now I think I can stay in the top five, so I’m excited for Zhuhai to hopefully keep things going.

“If I spend a year on Web, and I continue developing and progressing, I think with where my game is and where I’m trending, I’ve got the stuff for the PGA TOUR, so that’s the ultimate ambition.

“I’ll be working my butt off until that happens.”

With just two events left on the schedule Max McCardle is the best placed Australian in 16th position with Corey Hale the next highest of the Aussies playing this week in 45th position.

Other Australians playing in China this week are James Gibellini, Jack Munro, Andrew Schonewille, DJ Loypur, Kevin Yuan, Sam Earl, Sean Underwood, Peter Martin along with New Zealand’s Luke Toomey.

On the Asian Tour, the final event before the CIMB Classic sees a contingent of 12 Aussies and two Kiwis taking part in the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club in Chinese Taipei.

Top 20 in this event last year, Marcus Both returns in just his eighth Asian Tour start this year and is joined by Jake Higginbottom, Andrew Martin, Jarryd Felton, Steven Jeffress, Adam Blyth, Josh Younger, Maverick Antcliff, Jack Wilson, Matt Stieger, David Gleeson and Scott Barr and New Zealand pair Ben Campbell and Gareth Paddison.

Campbell is the highest-placed Australasian player on the Habitat for Humanity Standings in the field this week but not even a win would be enough to move him into the top 10 and earn a place in the PGA TOUR sanctioned CIMB Classic in Malaysia next week.