Team Asia playing captain Thongchai Jaidee has picked his fellow Thai Boonchu Ruangkit as his vice captain for the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM from March 27-29.
Thongchai is delighted the highly respected Boonchu has accepted the invitation to join his backroom team for the showdown against Team Europe at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club.
“I’m happy to announce that Boonchu will join Team Asia as my vice captain,” said Thongchai.
“I felt it was important for me to include a very experienced and successful golfer in this role, as he would need to inspire our players in what is going to be a very important tournament against Europe.
“As I will be competing as a player in the EurAsia Cup, Boonchu will be very important as he will watch each match and also give help to our players. Boonchu has an important part to play in Team Asia and his experience will be very important in our team room.”
Boonchu, 57, is one of Asian golf’s living legends. He has five Asian Tour titles to his name, while his trophy cabinet also includes the John Jacobs Trophy, thanks to his four victories during the 2010 European Seniors Tour season.
He has also succeeded in holding his own on the Asian Tour, where he has retained full playing rights on the region’s premier Tour in the past two seasons, finishing 61stand 50thon the Order of Merit.
When the Asian Tour was launched as a players’ organisation in 2004, Boonchu was given the honour of striking the opening tee shot.
“I am honoured that Thongchai has invited me to become Team Asia’s vice captain,” he said.
“I hope to play my part in the EurAsia Cup, and I have every confidence our team will compete with honour and pride as they fight for Team Asia,” said Boonchu.
“I have enjoyed the opportunity of seeing Asian golf grow over the past few decades through the positive influence of the Asian Tour, and our Asian players are very much capable of winning the first EurAsia Cup title against Europe. It could well be a defining moment for Asian golf.”
Team Asia will be represented by European Tour champion Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand, Bangladeshi Siddikur Rahman and the Indian duo of Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar, who all finished as the leading four Asian players on the 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Korea’s Kim Hyung-sung and the Japanese pair of Koumei Oda and Hideto Tanihara earned their places through the Official World Golf Ranking, while Nicholas Fung of Malaysia and Thai veteran Prayad Marksaeng were named as captain’s picks by Thongchai.
Miguel Angel Jiménez is the playing captain for Team Europe, which will include Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño; Frenchman Victor Dubuisson, who finished runner-up in the recent WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship; Jamie Donaldson of Wales, Denmark’s Thomas Björn, Dutchman Joost Luiten and Scot Stephen Gallacher. Jiménez’s captain’s picks were his countryman Pablo Larrazábal and Denmark’s Thorbjørn Olesen.
Tickets for the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM are available for purchase online, on the phone and via MST Golf outlets. Golf fans can purchase ticketshere, or by calling +603 7880 7999 for further details.
Each ticket will include a voucher for a free EurAsia Cup team cap. This can be redeemed on site at the EurAsia Cup at the Official Merchandise shop at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club.
The format of play for the EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM will see five fourball matches being played on the first day (Thursday March 27), followed by five foursomes matches on day two and ten singles matches on the final day at Glenmarie’s Garden course.
The EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM is sanctioned by The European and Asian Tours, while Professional Golf Malaysia (PGM) will act as the local facilitator for the event.
Keep up to date with the EurAsia Cuphere,hereand @EurAsiaCupGolf.
