Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal criticised the European Tour’s decision to launch the EurAsia Cup team matchplay event next year and said officials should have re-established ties with the Royal Trophy.
Olazabal is captaining Europe in the seventh edition of the Royal Trophy matchplay event, where Asia require 3.5 points from today’s eight singles matches against Europe to defend the trophy.
It was launched in 2006 by his former Ryder Cup teammate and compatriot Seve Ballesteros and is backed by the Japan Golf Tour and China Golf Association (CGA). The European Tour supported the venture before dropping it, then opted to launch a similar tournament in Malaysia next year with the Asian Tour, which used to host CGA tournaments before the Chinese opted to side with the rival OneAsia Tour.
“I know the European Tour sanctioned this event for two years and then a split occurred for some reason,” Olazabal said in a statement yesterday. “But I do think they must sit down with the Royal Trophy people and work out their differences, because it is such an important issue.
“The Royal Trophy will continue even if it is not sanctioned by the European Tour, because it has great support from the Japan Golf Tour, the China Golf Association and other important parties in Asia.
“But I know the organisers are keen to resolve this issue, and I would call on both sides to sit down and sort this thing out.”
The Royal Trophy is being staged in China for the first time, after Brunei hosted it last year and Thailand for the first five.
While the inaugural Royal Trophy boasted famed major winners Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam as well as then-world No 12 David Howell, Swede Henrik Stenson and Ireland’s Paul McGinley, the current edition lacks the same gloss. Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee is the top-ranked player competing in China at world No 46, while Howell is back but now No 93.
Thongchai will be team captain for the inaugural EurAsia Cup in March, but Olazabal thinks the new tournament is not necessary and that European Tour chief George O’Grady should focus on finding new full-field, stroke-play events instead.
“We do not need another Asia v Europe match involving a maximum of 20 players when we already have a well-established Royal Trophy,” said Olazabal, a former European Ryder captain and two-time Masters champion. “But we do need more full-field events, and I know other players feel the same way.”
The biennial EurAsia Cup will be held over three days at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur from March 27-29, with Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez playing and captaining Europe.
On the course, Thailand strongmen Thongchai and Kiradech Aphibarnrat maintained their invincible partnership to keep Asia on course for a historic successful title defence in the Royal Trophy.
On a day of wildly fluctuating fortunes which saw two dramatic halved matches and a victory for Europe via Austrian Bernd Wiesberger and Dane Thorbjorn Olesen, the fourball session ended in a frenzied 2-2 draw.
Having triumphed 3-1 in Thursday’s foursomes, Asia will take a 5-3 advantage into Sunday’s eight singles contests over the Dragon Lake Golf Club’s Asian Games Course in southern China.
For the second day in succession the powerful Thai duo came up trumps for non-playing Asian captain Y.E Yang
In the foursomes they had thrashed Scotsmen Paul Lawrie and Stephen Gallacher 5&3, but they had to work harder in the fourballs, prevailing 2&1 against the same opponents thanks largely to the heroics of Kiradech, who snared six birdies.
Wiesberger and Olesen, who was celebrating his 24th birthday, brought a welcome smile to the face of European captain Jose Maria Olazabal when they saw off Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa and Hiroyuki Fujita, also 2&1.
In the remaining two matches, there were stunning turnarounds as England’s David Howell and Scot Marc Warren and then Koreans Kim Kyung-tae and Kim Hyung-sung both surrendered seemingly unassailable positions.
Two-up with two holes to play, Howell and Warren were pegged back by China’s Liang Wenchong and Wu Ashun.
It was then the turn of the Kims to falter as Spaniard Alvaro Quiros and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts made an equally improbable escape when they won the final two holes to claim a half-point.
Despite the two-point deficit, Olazabal is holding onto the hope of a final-day charge reminiscent of Europe’s Ryder Cup comeback at Medinah last year, when they entered the singles trailing by four points but emerged triumphant.
He said: “Getting a half in that last match has kept our hopes alive. If we have a solid start in the singles and put pressure on the Asian team then we can still turn it around.”
Meanwhile, Yang, whose team are bidding to win the Royal Trophy back-to-back for the first time, remains confident.
He said: “I’m a little disappointed with losing that final half a point, and I was pretty nervous watching the last two matches. I hope we still have the momentum and that we can finish off the job in the singles.”
With firm greens, swirling winds and camera-clicking galleries posing challenges for the players, Asia held the ascendancy for much of the second day leading in all four matches at one point.
Howell and Warren came from behind to lead two-up but saw Liang hole a 25-footer for birdie at 17 before the local heroes completed their comeback by taking the 18th when neither European could manage a par.
The stage was then clear for Qurios who produced a brilliant nine-iron approach over trees at 18 to within six feet. After consulting Colsaerts and captain Olazabal about the line he rolled home the birdie putt. “I knew how crucial that was,” he said.
