It will be a great honour to lead the European Team at the Royal Trophy and I am looking forward to the competition with great enthusiasm,”
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - José Maria Olazábal has been appointed to captain the European Team at the sixth edition of the Royal Trophy. The match between the continents of Asia and Europe will be played at the Empire Hotel & Country Club in the Sultanate of Brunei on 14-16 December 2012 and is dedicated to the memory of the legendary five-time Major winner Severiano Ballesteros, who passed away earlier this year following a courageous battle against cancer.

“It will be a great honour to lead the European Team at the Royal Trophy and I am looking forward to the competition with great enthusiasm,” said the two-time Masters champion as qoute by Royal Trophy press release.

“The fact that the Royal Trophy has been dedicated to the memory of Seve makes the next edition of the matches extremely meaningful to me. I know how special representing Europe and the Royal Trophy were to Seve and this will be a very important occasion,” added Olazábal.

The Spaniard will be aiming for a double victory in continental team golf in 2012 as he will lead the Europeans at the Royal Trophy against Asia and at the Ryder Cup against the Americans.

“We are delighted with the selection of José Maria Olazábal as Captain for the European Team. In leading the Europeans he will be paying tribute to Seve Ballesteros and this will certainly be a truly memorable event,” stated Lincoln Venancio, the Royal Trophy Managing Director.

Ballesteros and Olazábal formed the most successful and charismatic partnership in Ryder Cup history, and Olazábal said he was compelled by the opportunity to play a leading role in an event that honoured his fellow Spaniard’s immense contribution to the sport.

Olazábal replaced Seve as European Captain in the third Royal Trophy contest in 2009 following Ballesteros being diagnosed with a brain tumor and undergoing a dramatic series of operations.

The Royal Trophy has quickly developed into an extremely closely-fought affair, a fact that has helped establish it as one of the real highlights on the golfing calendar.

The 2010 Match saw Europe reclaim the Royal Trophy, but only when Henrik Stenson holed a slippery seven-footer on the final green in the last singles match to clinch a nerve-jangling 8 ½ - 7 ½ victory. And the 2011 duel was just as dramatic, with Asia establishing a 6-2 lead on the first two days of competition, only to be denied by an incredible final day fightback that saw Europe secure a memorable 9-7 triumph.
(ANT)


Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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