Shanghai: Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee will lead the Asian Tour challenge when the US$8.5 million WGC-HSBC Champions gets underway at the Sheshan International Golf Club on Thursday.

As the highest ranked Asian Tour player, the world number 33 will be seeking to end the year with a flourish.

The Thai maestro, a 13-time Asian Tour winner, has enjoyed a spectacular season which has seen him lift his third title on European soil in Germany and also made his debut at The Presidents Cup for the International Team.

“It’s good to be back in Shanghai for the WGC-HSBC Champions. It’s a big event with lots of good players this week. This is a very challenging golf course and it’s not only important to get your distance but also your ball onto the fairways as the rough can be quite thick.

“We (Asian players) have been doing well lately and hopefully we can do it again here,” said the three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit champion.

Going into the Shanghai showpiece with a rich vein of form is also compatriot Kiradech Aphibarnrat, ranked 41st in the world.

Kiradech broke into the world's top 50 for the first time in his career this year and has also shone on the international stage with two wins in China and Scotland this year.

Two spots above Kiradech in the Official World Golf Rankings is India’s Anirban Lahiri, who is also having one of the best runs in his illustrious career so far.

The 28-year-old became the first Indian to represent the International Team at the Presidents Cup last month and is having a season to remember with two wins on the Asian Tour this year.

‘The year has been very good to me so far and I’m looking forward to end it on a high note. There’s lots of world ranking points at stake this week and it’s important for me to play my best golf,” said Lahiri.

Australians Scott Hend and Andrew Dodt will also face off the might of world number two Jordan Spieth, world number three Rory McIlroy, and fellow top 10 stars Rickie Fowler (5) and Henrik Stenson (7) as well as defending champion Bubba Watson (4) who are all confirmed for the event.

India's S.S.P Chawrasia, Canada's Richard T. Lee and Malaysia’s Danny Chia complete the Asian Tour line-up.

Chawrasia narrowly missed out on his fourth Asian Tour win on home soil earlier this year while Lee, 2013 Asian Tour Rookie of the Year, already has three top-10s on the region's premier Tour this year.

Chia, who recently ended his 13-year title drought on the region’s premier Tour, was the first reserve from the Asian Tour’s entry list but will feature in the event after the other qualifying categories were not fulfilled.