Matt Millar's 14 million reasons to get back on course for world championship

The Canberra golfer will use a trip to Victoria this week as a fitness test before he sets his sights on the World Golf Championship event in Shanghai from October 31.

Millar has been struggling to overcome a degenerative back problem and has been sent for bone scans, soft-tissue assessments, an MRI and injections in an attempt to get him back on the course.

The injury hit Millar as he prepares to launch an important summer of tournaments, which includes the lucrative event in China, the final stage of Japan Tour qualifying and the Australian PGA.

"It's been a bit annoying. It hasn't been a great year so far but this is the time of year I usually play well," Millar said.

"I don't want to go to China and embarrass myself. I'd rather to there and have the opportunity to play well in such a quality field.

"I certainly feel like time seems to be running by and I'm not good with that sort of thing.

"If you're not playing well, that's your fault. When you can't get out there [because of injury], you just sit and watch.

"If I can get a top-30 result in China, I'd be pretty chuffed and that gives you a really good cheque as well. I need to make sure I'm right and fingers crossed that will be the case."

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The winner of the Shanghai event will pocket $A2.55 million.

Millar knows his chances of taking the title are slim given the field boasts world No. 1 Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, British Open winner Shane Lowry, Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson.

The good news is last place will still take home $A65,000 and Millar hopes his back holds out so he can be a contender and set himself up for the Australian summer.

The 43-year-old has battled back problems for most of his career, but doctors were confident injections would help ease the pain.

"I don't want it to be a case of every time something goes wrong, you go for a needle," Millar said. "My back isn't going to be perfect, but it's just about managing it. I've only had a couple of niggles here and there over the past few years.

"I'm hoping this will quieten it down and then build a plan with the medical guys going forward."

Millar's path to fitness will start at the $125,000 four-round Pro-Am event at Cape Schanck Resort.

"I'll make a decision by Wednesday if I'm going to play. If I'm no good, I won't risk it," Millar said.

"The thing is there's nothing in the middle. You're either OK, or you can't play. It doesn't give you a choice.

"One thing I've really tried to work hard on belief. I play better when I'm playing regularly ... my results are always better when I do that.

"Not having that opportunity is at the front of my mind as well. But nothing has changed ... I still swing the club the same. Ideally I play this week and get through it.

"I'll be better off regardless, even if I don't play well. If I can keep going well from there, I'll definitely be ready for Japan as well."

Millar will skip the Australian Open this year in the hope of earning a full-time spot on the Japan Tour for 2020.

It will affect Millar's Australian order of merit ranking and prizemoney, but he says the long-term benefit is worth it to secure a spot on the Asian circuit.

Fellow Canberra golfer Brendan Jones has been a regular in Japan for more than a decade, becoming the first foreign player to bank one billion yen in prizemoney.