Organisers have confirmed that top-ranked Rory McIlroy will defend his Shanghai Masters title later this year in China.

The $US7 million ($A6.70 million) event has been added to this year’s European Tour schedule after McIlroy won it last year from a field of 21 players.

This year’s tournament, the richest in the history of the European Tour, will be held from October 25-28 and again be staged at the Lake Malaren Golf Club in Shanghai.

McIlroy says “I cannot wait to get back to Shanghai. The fact that I can tee up there again as a reigning major winner means a lot to me.”

The field of 78 players will be drawn mostly from the top 100 in the world rankings.

Four players will receive an invitation from organisers while invitees from the Chinese Golf Association and BMW will fill 14 of the positions.