SHANGHAI (AFP) - Thai Thongchai Jaidee said today that it would be one of the proudest moments of his life if he could finish a remarkable year inside the European Tour's top 10.

He heads into this week's US$8.5 million (S$10.5 million) World Golf Championship-HSBC Champions in Shanghai playing the most consistent golf of his long career after sharing second place in the US$7 million BMW Masters on Sunday.

The golfer, who turns 44 next week, passed one million euros (S$1.7 million) in earnings for the third time on the European Tour by tying on 10-under par with Francesco Molinari behind winner Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano at Lake Malaren.

More significantly for Thongchai, it catapulted him to sixth place from 21st in the Race to Dubai standings.

The five-time European Tour winner is on course for his best year, despite not winning in 2013.

Now his goal is to stay in the top 10 and grab a share of the US$3.75 million bonus pool on offer at the end of the season, which culminates with the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next month.

This year has brought him seven top-10 finishes but he was controversially overlooked by captain Nick Price for the Internationals Team at the Presidents Cup last month.