JUSTIN Rose admits that winning the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth is something he would like to tick off his career “bucket list”.

The north Hampshire golfing ace has always seen the European Tour’s flagship event as his home tournament, with Wentworth only a short trip up the A30 from his childhood home in Hook.

Rose has a decent record at the event, having finished second on two occasions. He went closest to winning in 2007, when he was beaten in a play-off by Anders Hansen, while he claimed a share of the runners-up spot in 2012.

“It’s a tournament that I grew up watching as a kid, so it’s definitely special to me,” the 33-year-old said. “This is a bucket list tournament for me.

“Apart from the majors and possibly a World Golf Championships or two, I don’t see a tournament I would like to win more – but there’s plenty of time.”

Another career goal for Rose is to climb to the top of the world rankings. The US Open champion currently sits eighth in the standings, but with the top 10 so evenly matched, a couple of wins would see him rapidly climb the log.

“Being world number one is a career goal of mine, and with Tiger not as dominant at the moment, it’s achievable and attainable in a very short amount of time for me,” Rose said.

“I don’t think it necessarily means the world, I just think it’s nice to tell people at some point you were the number one player in the world.”

Rose goes into the PGA Championship in good form, having claimed top-10 finishes at his last three tournaments. His most recent outing saw the former Robert May’s School pupil finish in a share of fourth place at The Players Championship, and he is looking to build on that success as he prepares to defend his US Open crown at Pinehurst.

“My form is good,” Rose added. “I have been playing well and building some nice momentum.

“I have had three top-10 finishes in a row, with top-five finishes in my last two starts, and I feel like there is more to squeeze out of my game too. I feel that in the next couple of weeks I can progress even more.

“It would be great to win heading into Pinehurst but at the same time I feel like my game is in good shape to put up a good title defence there.”

Rose will get his PGA Championship campaign under way at 12.50pm tomorrow, partnering Matteo Manassero and Lee Westwood. The trio then tee off their second round at 8.25am on Friday.