Follow the latest news flashes - updated regularly - on the Royal Trophy 2008, the most prestigious golf tournament between the two continents, right here!
January 4, 2008
The Royal Trophy has been postponed
The Royal Trophy Golf Championship has been postponed in respect to the mourning period that will be observed after the passing of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, elder sister of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The Princess passed away on January 2 after receiving treatment for abdominal cancer. She was 84. The Thai government announced a 15-day mourning period, and asked that festive activities be suspended during this time.
The Royal Trophy tournament features the finest players from Asia and Europe competing for stewardship over the Royal Trophy, which was graciously donated by His Majesty the King. The event's third edition will be held at the earliest date possible. We will be contacting everyone who has purchased tickets online at Bangkok.com, giving you the choice of either a refund, or exchanging your ticket(s) for new ones once the event date is known.
December 30, 2007
Shiv Wants More of The Golden Thread
Shiv Kapur will be eager to celebrate another famous triumph when he heads to Bangkok from January 11 - 13 for his Royal Trophy debut. The young Indian star launched his career in glorious style on Thai soil with his victory in the 2005 Masters of Asia, just a few months after he turned professional.
That victory came just a month after Kapur had finished runner-up in the Double A International Open - also in Thailand - as he rocketed from 85th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit to fourth, making him an automatic choice as rookie of the year. The stylish 25 year old has yet to add to that victory - although he could not have gone much closer than he did when finishing runner-up at the 2007 Indonesian Open - and he admits the prospect of taking another big career step in Thailand is an exciting one.
Ozaki's Team is also nicely balanced in terms of the combination of different nationalities he has selected. Kapur joins fellow Indian luminary Jeev Milkha Singh in the Bangkok line-up, while Ozaki has gone for two of his Japanese countrymen in Toru Taniguchi and Hideto Tanihara, a couple of bang in-form Korean aces in Charlie Wi and Lee Dong-Hwan, and the crowd-pleasing Thai trio of Thongchai Jaidee, Prayad Marksaeng and Chapchai Nirat. Ozaki admitted he was happy to have at least two players from each of the Asian countries represented - but insisted that did not mean his pairings were already set in stone.
December 29, 2007
Lee Sets Royal Trophy Record
Asian golf sensation Lee Dong-Hwan will become the youngest player to tee off in the Royal Trophy when he makes his debut against Europe's superstars next month.
Lee, who was 20 in April, is more than two years younger than the previous record-holder, Thailand's Prom Meesawat, who overcame his lack of experience in playing at a team event of the level of the Royal Trophy to earn a half in his singles clash against Ryder Cup hero Darren Clarke at the second edition of the Championship earlier this year.
Korean phenomenon Lee took the Japan Golf Tour by storm this year, his first as a professional, claiming a share of third place in his maiden event, the Token Homemate Cup, winning the Mizuno Open on only his eighth start, and then following up with another third place at the prestigious Japan Golf Tour Championship.
He becomes the eighth player to be selected by Joe Ozaki, but the Asian Team Captain still has one selection left, as both the Asian and European Teams for the Royal Trophy will feature nine players. The amendment in format of the Royal Trophy, increasing the number of players to nine, is in honor of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX.
The people of Thailand have celebrated His Majesty the King's Eightieth Birthday earlier this month. His Majesty, the world's longest-serving current head of state and the longest-serving Monarch in Thai history, graciously donated the sixteen-kilogram solid-silver perpetual Royal Trophy in 2005 prior to the first edition of the Championship.
December 27, 2007
Europeans to arrive early for showdown
The European team for the Royal Trophy has issued a warning shot to the Asian side by announcing that some of their team members will be arriving to Thailand early in order to benefit from a full preparation for the continental showdown. Although it is unknown if the reason for the early arrivals is due to certain minor changes at Amata Spring Country Club, it has been confirmed that Swede Robert Karlsson will be arriving on Saturday January 5 - six days prior to the first day of play. The Ryder Cup team member has made it clear to Royal Trophy organizers that his objective in arriving early is not to rest or holiday but is instead to practice hard and strive for the very best preparation for the matches.
Prior to the first two editions of the Royal Trophy, the Thai contingent of the Asian Team took the opportunity to practice at the testing Amata Spring layout during the week prior to the Royal Trophy, and were rewarded with good results in both years with Thongchai Jaidee, Thaworn Wiratchant and Prom Meesawat all delivering heroic performances.
December 20, 2007
Hansen And Wi Back Together Again
Anders Hansen and Charlie Wi were men with a common aim a year ago - but they will be fierce rivals when they make their Royal Trophy debuts in Thailand next month. Hansen and Wi could not have imagined they would be on opposite sides in such a prestigious Event as they rubbed shoulders in America towards the end of 2006, when they both decided to break into the ultra-competitive US PGA Tour.
Both performed superbly to earn the right to play alongside Tiger Woods and company, but Hansen did not take full advantage of that success, mainly because he concentrated on playing in Europe following his second triumph in one of the European Tour's biggest events, the European PGA Championship at Wentworth. The PGA Championship is the richest tournament in Europe, after only the British Open, and attracts one of the strongest fields of the year.
The Danish golfer clinched his success in dramatic style, holing a curling 25 footer for a winning birdie at the first extra hole after forcing his way into a play-off with home crowd favourite Justin Rose. Hansen also left the likes of Ernie Els trailing in his wake as he battled to a victory that catapulted him up in the European Tour's Order of Merit.
December 19, 2007
Battle-hardened McGinley Joins Ballesteros
Paul McGinley will make his third successive Royal Trophy appearance next month alongside rookie Graeme Storm of England, a player who has enjoyed the best year on the Tour in 2007.
While McGinley was achieving a place in golfing folklore by holing the winning putt on his Ryder Cup debut in 2002, Storm was considering if he had a real future in professional golf as he struggled in the highly competitive European Tour. But the gritty English golfer refused to give up, and he is now beginning to fulfill the enormous potential he showed during a glittering amateur career.
The 2007 season produced the best results of his career including winning one of Europe's richest tournaments - the French Open and shooting a sensational 65 to become the first round leader at the US PGA Championship, the final Major of the year.
December 18, 2007
Thai Trio to Form Royal Spearhead
A trio of talented Thai golfers will form an exciting spearhead to Asia's bid to win the Royal Trophy for the first time in history next month. Highly experienced campaigners Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng will team up with the country's most exciting young gun, Chapchai Nirat, in an attempt to repel the European challenge in Bangkok from January 11 to 13, 2008.
Thongchai, 38, is one of the true legends of Asian golf, an eight times winner and the first golfer to collect more than $2 million in career earnings on the Asian Tour. He will make his third successive Royal Trophy appearance, and is likely to pair up with one of his closest friends in Prayad - who secured his place earlier this month with a thrilling victory on home soil in the Asian Tour's final event, the Masters of Asia.
Prayad, 41, clinched his sixth Asian Tour title in Bangkok with a brilliant birdie at the 72nd hole and, in line with his huge popularity, immediately dedicated his victory to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Asian Team Captain Joe Ozaki knew it would be madness to leave Prayad out after such an emotional triumph, especially as all three Thai players he has selected are certain to be desperate to give His Majesty the King a belated birthday present with a first Royal Trophy success.
His Majesty the King of Thailand donated the impressive 16-kilogram solid-silver Trophy Asia and Europe will again compete for at the prestigious Amata Spring Country Club, and Prayad greeted is selection by promising to do everything possible to keep it in Thailand this time.
December 4, 2007
Ozaki Names Singh For Asian Team
As the son of an Olympic sprinter, Jeev Milkha Singh is entitled to be a fast learner - and he aims to prove it when he represents Asia for the second time in the Royal Trophy.
Singh is the third name on Asian Team Captain Joe Ozaki's team-sheet for the Clash of the Continents to be played at Amata Spring Country Club from January 11-13, lining up alongside the powerful Japanese duo of Toru Taniguchi and Hideto Tanihara.
Singh and Taniguchi were both also in the Asian Team when Asia failed to hold-off the fantastic European Team in the Royal Trophy 2007, and the Indian golfer says they will need to absorb the lessons from that defeat quickly to have a stronger chance of defeating the Europeans.
Singh, who plays full-time in the European Tour, is very familiar with the Asian Team's opponents including the famous partnership of Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke, and says they are ideal role models for team golf. They recreated their hugely successful Ryder Cup pairing at the Royal Trophy 2007 and both emerged unbeaten - and they will be in action for Europe again this time.
December 3, 2007
Clarke and Westwood Going For the double
Asia will face another bout of double trouble in January when the seemingly inseparable Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke team up again for Europe in the Royal Trophy. Both were unbeaten when they made their debuts in the Bangkok showpiece at the start of this year, just as they were when they helped Europe to a record-equaling 18.5 - 9.5 victory in the 2006 Ryder Cup.
They admit they feel they are there to be shot at whenever they renew their all-conquering double act - but have warned their Asian opponents that they thrive on that sort of pressure.
Clarke explained, "I think we definitely get the feeling that Lee and I are a couple of prize scalps, and our opponents always seem to raise their game when they play us. You just have to think back to the last Royal Trophy, when we had an almighty scrap with Thongchai Jaidee and Prom Meesawat in the fourballs. In the end, we were very relieved to escape with a half."
November 30, 2007
Tanihara Out To Repeat His Open Heroics
Japan's most exciting golfer, Hideto Tanihara, will be determined to give Europe's finest players a reminder of his talents when he makes his Royal Trophy debut in January. Tanihara, 29 earlier this month, has won six times on the Japan Golf Tour, including back-to-back victories at the Fujisankei Classic and the Suntory Open in September. But arguably his finest hour came in England last year, when he finished fifth behind Tiger Woods in the Open Championship at Hoylake, the best performance ever by a Japanese golfer in the Majors.
The confidence that resulted from that outstanding display of shot- making was obvious as Tanihara returned to Japan the following week to win his next event, the Sun Chlorella Classic. That victory should have come as no surprise - Tanihara shot an eye-popping 28 over nine holes in the same tournament two years earlier.
He has continued to build a big reputation as a crowd-pleaser - and a winner - and his ability to shoot low scores will be a big asset in the Royal Trophy's match play format. The third edition of the event will be staged at the exclusive Amata Spring Country Club in Bangkok from January 11 to 13.
November 27, 2007
Japan's number one player to play for asia in the Royal trophy
Toru Taniguchi has been handed the perfect boost as he bids to top the Japan Golf Tour money list for the second time, by being chosen to play for Asia in the Royal Trophy 2008.
Taniguchi has now been confirmed to be part of Joe Ozaki's team which aims to prevent Europe completing a hat-trick of victories when the continents collide in Bangkok from January 11-13. That is deserved recognition for an outstanding 2007 campaign, which has brought Taniguchi three tournament victories.
Japan's top-rated golfer heads into this week's final event, the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup, as a firm favourite to repeat his 2002 triumph as Japan's leading money winner. He is nearly 20 million yen ahead of nearest challenger, but cannot afford to be complacent with a top prize of 30 million yen on offer this week. But Taniguchi admitted being named to play for Asia in the Royal Trophy under Japanese golf legend Joe Ozaki's captaincy had done wonders for his confidence.
November 13, 2007
Fasth to play for Europe at Royal Trophy
Niclas Fasth has warned his Royal Trophy rivals he will be a hard man to beat after being named as the first player for the European Team for the Royal Trophy 2008. The super Swede jumped at the chance to be a part of Seve Ballesteros' team for the Asia-Europe extravaganza in Bangkok to be played from January 11-13, and admitted he will have a few scores to settle. Fasth, who has had a fantastic year in 2007, was defeated by top Thai player Thongchai Jaidee in the final day of singles in previous edition of the Royal Trophy. On that Sunday afternoon, Thongchai counted with great support from the Asian galleries and 'shut the door' on Fasth on the 237-yard par-three 17th hole to be celebrated by the galleries for securing the point for Asia.
The 2 & 1 win against Fasth was a great confidence boost for Jaidee who clearly benefited from strong patriotic support. In the Royal Trophy 2007 Fasth was a member of a fantastic European Team which was extremely confident coming off a record-equaling convincing win against the Americans in the Ryder Cup in Ireland - which took place only four months earlier.
The Swedish ace, who has just enjoyed his best ever season, said the memory of that singles defeat will act as an added motivation this time and he is looking forward to starting his 2008 season at the Royal Trophy in Thailand. Fasth explained: "The Royal Trophy was great. I thoroughly enjoyed the
location, the format and the tremendous atmosphere.
November 6, 2007
Ozaki To Lead Asia at Royal Trophy
Naomichi 'Joe' Ozaki, a member of Asia's greatest golfing dynasty, will lead Asia's campaign to wrestle the Royal Trophy from European hands for the second time. The 'Japanese golfing great', one of Asia's most successful players and brother of two more top professionals in Masashi and Tateo - otherwise known as Jumbo and Jet - will captain the Asian Team to take on the Seve Ballesteros-led Europeans. The Ozaki name is synonymous with Asian golf due to the immense impact the Ozaki brothers have made in the sport including topping the Japanese Order of Merit over ten times and winning well over one hundred tournament titles. Joe Ozaki, the youngest of the three brothers, is one of Asia's most valuable golfing assets. He has finished at the top of the Japanese Order of Merit two times and has won 35 career titles. He is third on the all-time list of Japan's career prize money winners having earned over USD 15 million.
The 51-year-old is coming off a very successful year in the Champions Tour in the United States where he recorded 10 'Top 10' finishes and shot an average 70.35 per round. The highly-talented golfer still plays at such a high level that he could arguably still make the Asian Team as a player.
He will be attempting, for the second time, to lead Asia into its first ever win against the Europeans in the prestigious competition. In the Royal Trophy 2007, Ozaki led a star-studded Asian Team with great determination but was met with the challenge of a very confident European side - hot off a Ryder Cup win against the Americans in Ireland. The greater experience of the Europeans prevailed and Ozaki was clearly physically and emotionally exhausted on the final day of the competition. He continuously pushed and motivated his players throughout the final day of matches demonstrating a tremendous attitude and a fantastic level of courage and leadership. |
