GUANGZHOU, China, Aug. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese golf legends Zhang Lian-wei and Liang Wen-chong have been respectively appointed by Asian Team Captain Y.E. Yang as Vice-Captain and Team Member for the next edition of the Royal Trophy to be played on 20-22 December 2013 at Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
The two stars are widely acclaimed as the most accomplished Chinese golfers in history and both have represented Asia at the Royal Trophy previously; Zhang Lian-wei in the inaugural edition played in Thailand in 2006 and Liang Wen-chong four times -- including in the two encounters where the Asian Team triumphed over the Europeans.
"It is an enormous honour to represent Asia at the next edition of the Royal Trophy when the competition will be played in my home nation of China and my home province of Guangdong," stated Zhang Lian-wei, winner of over fifteen professional career titles.
"I am thankful to Captain Y.E. Yang for nominating me for this prestigious and very important role in the Asian Team and I am looking forward with great anticipation to working together with him in leading Asia to victory at Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou.
"The hosting of the first-ever edition of the Royal Trophy in China is a truly historic event and I am very confident that the Guangzhou Municipality, Guangdong Province and the People's Republic of China will be great hosts of Asia and Europe. I am also certain that the Asian Team will compete with the greatest intensity, dedication and competitive spirit," concluded the great ambassador of Chinese golf.
The Royal Trophy is played over three days in a highly competitive team match-play format featuring sixteen foursomes, four-ball and singles matches. Each continent is represented by eight players.
"The next edition of the Royal Trophy will be an unforgettable event. To play for Asia in China is incredible," said Liang Wen-chong, the winner of the OneAsia Tour Order of Merit in 2010.
"This promises to be one of the most important moments of my career and I expect it to be a very emotional time. I am certain that I will enjoy great support from the Chinese fans and this will be very helpful as we confront the Europeans. We have defeated them two times now, including in the latest edition," added the winner of eleven professional career titles.
"When K.T. Kim converted the winning putt in the previous edition of the Royal Trophy securing our victory over the Europeans, we all broke out in a great celebration -- hugging each other and dancing. It was a fantastic feeling; and a feeling that I want to relive and share with the Chinese people at this next edition of the Royal Trophy at Dragon Lake Golf Club.
"The Royal Trophy has grown into a very important event, as the only official championship where Asia competes with Europe. The competition carries a great heritage and very strong history and I encourage all Chinese golf fans to travel to Guangzhou, witness the Royal Trophy live and cheer our Asian Team to victory," concluded Liang Wen-chong.
Liang Wen-chong joins Asia's highest ranked professional golfer, Hideki Matsuyama, and Korean match-play maestro K.T. Kim as the first three players nominated for the Asian Team.
"The China Golf Association is delighted with and fully supports the appointment of Zhang Lian-wei as Vice-Captain and Liang Wen-chong as Member of the Asian Team for the seventh edition of the Royal Trophy," stated Zhang Xiaoning, Director General of the Multi-Ball Games Administrative Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and Vice President and Secretary General of the China Golf Association.
"We are very pleased with the featuring of a strong contingent of Chinese players in the Asian Team; something we have and continue to highly recommend and encourage.
"These are two outstanding representatives of Chinese athletes. Their participation will certainly attract even greater public attendance at the Event and further promote the popularisation and development of golf in China. Zhang Lian-wei and Liang Wen-chong are remarkable professional players and they will represent the People's Republic of China with great sportsmanship, determination and commitment to win honours for China and Asia.
"It is with great enthusiasm that we look forward to the seventh edition of the Royal Trophy being held in China and attach great importance to this traditional championship. The China Golf Association fully supports this great competition and its successful hosting in China," concluded Zhang Xiaoning.
The Royal Trophy was created in concert with the vision of the late legendary five-time Major winner Seve Ballesteros and the beautiful sixteen-kilogramme solid silver Trophy was donated by His Majesty the King of Thailand. The past captains of the European and Asian Teams are the late Seve Ballesteros (2006-2007), Colin Montgomerie OBE (2010-2011), Jose Maria Olazabal (2009 & 2012), Masahiro Kuramoto (2006) and Naomichi 'Joe' Ozaki (2007-2012).
The Royal Trophy is officially sanctioned by the China Golf Association -- the sport's governing body for Asia's largest country, the Japan Golf Tour Organization -- Asia's richest, largest and most extensive professional golf tour, and the OneAsia Tour -- the continent's premier professional regional tour. All-time greats Sir Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam OBE, Jose Maria Olazabal, Paul McGinley, Isao Aoki, Naomichi 'Joe' Ozaki and Jeev Milkha Singh are members of the Royal Trophy Players' Committee.
"The first hosting of the Royal Trophy in China is a historic event. The Royal Trophy Players' Committee is looking forward to a magnificent competition between Europe and Asia and a great showcase of continental team match-play golf," stated Royal Trophy Players' Committee Member and six-time Major winner Sir Nick Faldo.
"The Royal Trophy is a competition which features a very special meaning and carries a truly significant purpose. The coming together of the Royal Trophy and the People's Republic of China as Host Nation for the next two editions of the matches is a very important development for our sport," added Royal Trophy Players' Committee Member and former Masters champion Ian Woosnam OBE.
"The Royal Trophy is now reaching its seventh edition, has always featured fantastic captains and players, is televised to over 250 countries and territories worldwide and its next edition will be played in the People's Republic of China -- the world's most populous nation and the second largest economy globally," stated Ivan Ballesteros, Royal Trophy Co-Managing Director.
"The competition continues to experience monumental growth each year and is on a clear course to fulfill the prediction of the late visionary Seve Ballesteros; that the Royal Trophy would grow into one of the world's greatest sporting competitions," stated Lincoln Venancio, Royal Trophy Co-Managing Director.
The seventh edition of the Royal Trophy -- Europe vs Asia Golf Championship will be held at Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province in the People's Republic of China on 20-22 December 2013. The continents will compete in a series of 16 foursomes, four-ball and singles matches. The Royal Trophy Players' Committee is comprised of Sir Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam OBE, Jose Maria Olazabal, Paul McGinley, Isao Aoki, Naomichi 'Joe' Ozaki and Jeev Milkha Singh.
