A combination of rest and treatment allowed him to make a swift return to action in China last week, and the Thai star said: "I saw a very good doctor who treats NBA basketball players in America.

"Last week, I was 50 per cent and then when we got to Shanghai, I thought I could play, and I started very well the first round and then later not too good. But that's okay, I enjoyed a Top‑10 finish last week and this week I hope it's better again."

Jaidee's triumph at Pinx Golf Club last year was testament to his wonderful ball striking in difficult conditions. Growing up in tropical Thailand, Jaidee rarely had to contend with strong winds and rain, but he says his years playing on the European Tour have prepared him for tricky conditions.

"For me, I learn a lot by playing The European Tour on links courses and I'm trying to play with a low ball every time we play," he said. "That's why if you play with low ball very good, you can play this golf course very good even with the wind blowing."

Jaidee's thoughts were echoed by Henrik Stenson, another of the game's great ball strikers, who said this week's winner could be decided by which players is able to best deal with the conditions.

Yeah, so I wasn't that far off in the end, five shots from the win, and yeah, well, it's hard to say if I'm surprised or not with a Top‑10. But yeah, I expect to be up there and giving myself a decent chance to win on the weekend at regular events. Yeah, I guess I was just a little bit off that.

"The key thing playing in the wind is always controlling your ball flight, and I've had lots of good finishes in the past in difficult conditions," said Stenson. "I think I'm reasonably good at grinding it out and playing well in tough conditions. So I expect it to be a bit hard at times, but I hope to challenge on Sunday."

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