Thai ace golfer gives Unicef helping hand

MANILA, Philippines - From a struggling paratrooper in the Thai Royal Army, Thongchai Jaidee has risen to become a great star and probably the richest golfer in Asia today.

Now it’s time for Jaidee, the first player in the Asian Tour to surpass $2 million in earnings, to give something in return.

“I’m enjoying my life now because once you start winning tournaments you get everything,” said Jaidee at the Saddle Room of the exclusive Manila Polo Club.

Jaidee arrived in the country at 3 a.m. yesterday courtesy of HSBC, fresh from Minnesota where he competed in the PGA Tour and finished tied for 36th place.

But he never complained that barely a few hours later he had to stage a golf clinic for Unicef’s (United Nations Children’s Fund) Regional Youth and Education Program.

Some of HSBC’s valued friends got intimate golf tips from the 11-year-pro, and took part in a “Nearest the Pin” contest where HSBC ended up donating $10,000 to the Unicef program.

“This gives our clients a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from the best, and allows us to highlight our long-standing commitment to improve the education and well-being of children,” said HSBC president and CEO Mark Watkinson.

“We had wanted a mini-tournament but because of the rains we thought of this clinic,” said the HSBC big boss who later shared lunch with Jaidee at the Turf Room of the MPC.

A large bullseye was set up along the fairway, and five HSBC guests were given three balls each to hit it from a distance. HSBC would donate $2,000 if the participants hit the bullseye on the first ball, $1,000 on the second and $500 on the third.

They all failed.

“And here comes Thongchai hitting the bullseye on his first ball,” said Watkinson, and the Thai mainstay of the PGA European Tour and ranked No. 53 in the world laughed.

Jaidee, who cut his teeth undergoing airborne and ranger courses with the Thai Royal Army before turning pro in 1999, doesn’t mind taking part in clinics as worthy, as noble as this.

“I enjoyed it,” said Jaidee, the 2004 Asian Tour Player of the Year, 2005 Johnnie Walker Tour Asian Player of the Year, and participant in the 2006 US Masters.

Jaidee has won a dozen titles since 2000 and would need none of those back-breaking parachute jumps he had to take as a paratrooper with his total earnings of $3 million by the end of 2008.

“I’m very happy with my life now but I’m still learning. I want to make it to the top 50 in the world. That’s my target,” said Jaidee, who left Manila last night, straight to Indonesia, Singapore and home in Thailand.