By Nick Mulvenney

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Tiger Woods believes the inclusion of golf at the Olympics could help China become a golfing powerhouse sooner rather than later, the world number one said on Wednesday.

China's state system is heavily geared towards Olympic success and last month's vote to include the sport in the Games will have huge implications on the funding of golf in the world's most populous country.

Woods said smaller countries like Sweden had shown what could be achieved with government funding, let alone what might happen if China backed golf with the considerable resources it commits to other Olympic sports.

"China has done pretty much the same thing in every other sport, except for golf," the world number one told reporters at the HSBC Champions.

"It will be interesting to see what will happen if they make a push towards that, and if they do then there's no question they will become a powerhouse in golf."

"With the populous and with the amount of golf courses being constructed, the game is obviously exploding over here. So it is just a matter of time."

Woods is making his third appearance at the $7 million Champions tournament having finished second twice at the Sheshan International Golf Club.

This year the tournament becomes Asia's first World Golf Championship (WGC) event, a series in which Woods has an impressive record of 16 wins in 30 attempts.

"I've always enjoyed playing against such great fields," said the American.

"That's the whole idea of having the World Golf Championships. It's not just the major championships that we all get together, and The Players (Championship).

"It's now these World Golf Championships events. It's a lot of fun for players to compete against these guys. For some reason, I've also had a lot of success."

Woods will play alongside Asia number one Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and Briton Ross Fisher, a winner at the World Match Play last week, in the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

(Editing by Alison Wildey

To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)