Fiercely determined Colin Montgomerie has called for a “110 percent” effort from the European players as they bid to regain the Royal Trophy from a confident Asia who beat them 10-6 last year.
The Ryder Cup captain knows that his credibility as a leader and Europe’s reputation in team golf are at stake after crippling losses to the US and Asia in the past two years.
Montgomerie has taken on the dual role of player/captain for Europe at Amata Spring Country Club from tomorrow to Sunday.
“It is vitally important to start the year the way we want to end it — on a winning note,” the Scot said.
“Having lost last year we will be even keener to get the job done here. My team talk to my players will focus on one thing — the need for us to return to winning ways after also being beaten at the last Ryder Cup.
“Whenever you represent Europe you are expected to give 110 percent. That is the very least I would demand of anyone who plays under my captaincy,” he said.
Montgomerie said he would be looking to see how the players handle the pressure and follow tactics ahead of the Ryder Cup clash with the US at Celtic Manor in October.
“My team is full of winners — their captain is the only one without a win in the last 12 months,” he said.
“This is a very good preparation [for the Ryder Cup] in many ways to see how our top players are playing early on in the year and it gives me a great opportunity to witness how the team are preparing for the grand event we have at the end of the year,” he said.
Swede Henrik Stenson and his 2008 World Cup winning partner Robert Karlsson are the only two players apart from Montgomerie with Ryder Cup experience.
Asian skipper Naomichi “Joe” Ozaki, who impressed with his tactical nous last year, said Montgomerie would be jittery having gambled to play as well as captain Europe.
“Colin will also be Europe’s Ryder Cup captain later this year, and he will be feeling those nerves. But I think it will be good experience for him,” he said.
The Asian team features five players who were in the winning side last year including Japanese wonder kid Ryo Ishikawa and the Thai duo of Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng.
Thongchai and Prayad won all three of their matches last year and the upbeat Ozaki is likely to pair the local heroes together again in a bid to ignite the home crowd.
The Royal Trophy, which features alternate shot foursomes, fourball and singles matches, is sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour but unlike last year has not received the official backing of the European or Asian Tours.
Teams:
Europe — Colin Montgomerie, player/captain (Scotland), Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Alexander Noren, Peter Hanson (all Sweden), Simon Dyson (England), Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) and Pablo Martin (Spain)
Asia — Naomichi “Joe” Ozaki, captain (Japan); Thongchai Jaidee, Prayad Marksaeng (both Thailand), Jeev Milkha Singh, Gaganjeet Bhullar (both India), Ryo Ishikawa, Koumei Oda (both Japan), Charlie Wi (Korea) and Liang Wen-chong (China)
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