YOUNG snooker star Kyren Wilson has said he is buzzing with excitement ahead of his first major ranking event after enjoying a brilliant few weeks on the baize.

The 21-year-old will star in the upcoming Shanghai Masters after victories over Alex Davies, Barry Pinches, James Wattana and Marcus Campbell in Doncaster three weeks ago booked his ticket for China.

Wlson, who has returned to World Snooker’s main tour on the back of impressive form last season, will face world number eight Stuart Bingham in the first round on the week beginning September 16 – in what will be the biggest match of his career to date.

And the young potter told The Old Green Baize he was eager to enjoy every single moment when he competes in one of snooker’s most established events.

“When I was driving back home in the car after beating Marcus Campbell I was absolutely buzzing,” he said.

“Getting through that final qualifying round was a massive win for me.

“It’s great to have qualified and I want to enjoy it. But I don’t want to have qualified and stop there, I want to push on and impress. I think I have the potential to go far as a player.

“Stuart is a very good player and one of the most improved over the last few years so it will be a tough match. But I’m just going to enjoy it and do my best.

“I went out to Shanghai a couple of years ago as an amateur and thought it was great because snooker is buzzing there and the fans are amazing out there. It will be great to experience it again but this time as a main tour player.”

And Kyren goes into the competition in great form having built on his Shanghai success with recent PTC wins against Crucible quarter-finalist Michael White and more impressively over world number four Shaun Murphy in the Paul Hunter Classic (see video below).

But he said his Indian Open qualifying victory over Rory McLeod last month has given him more satisfaction during the past few weeks.

“It was great to beat Michael White and Shaun Murphy on TV but beating Rory McLeod 4-0 in the Indian Open has probably given me the most confidence.

“When I was first on the tour a few years ago he beat me in the qualifying rounds of the World Championship and the UK and have found him such a tough player to play against, so to beat him the way I did was a big thing for me.”

Wilson, enjoying his second spell as a professional snooker player after dropping out the main tour in 2011, added he had learnt a great deal from his first year and now aims to put the hard yards in towards a successful future.

“Looking at some of the new pros now they seem very nervous and under pressure to win games,” he added. “But because this is my second spell on the tour I’m kind of used to that and having had two years off I really want it again and want to do well.

“I just want to try and win every tournament I play in.  I think I’ve got the potential to be a tournament winner and hopefully once I win one I can start winning many more. ”