• EurAsia Cup

Jimenez, Jaidee named captains for inaugural event

Jimenez will lead the Europeans © Getty Images

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Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thongchai Jaidee have been named captains for the inaugural EurAsia Cup in 2014.

Teams from Europe and Asia face off over three days in a Ryder Cup-style match-play tournament at Glenmarie Golf & Country Club in Kuala Lumpur between March 27 and 29.

Spaniard Jimenez, a 19-time champion on the European Tour and four-time Ryder Cup player, and Jaidee, a five-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, were unveiled at a ceremony in Hong Kong.

Team Asia skipper Jaidee © PA Photos

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"We have Europe playing the USA at the Ryder Cup, and it is great to now have a fully sanctioned, official competition for the Europeans to play against the best from Asia," 49-year-old Jimenez said.

"With so many world-class players now emerging from the Asian Tour, it is sure to be a close contest."

Jaidee, 44, added: "I am honoured and delighted to be asked to captain Team Asia. Week in, week out, we compete as individuals, but the EurAsia Cup gives us a different way to play the sport.

"I am a huge fan of the Ryder Cup, but being Asian I will never get to play in it. The EurAsia Cup will offer the chance for the best Asian and European players to come together, and I am looking forward to leading a determined group that will do their very best for team honour and pride."

Jimenez also announced that the first players to qualify for his 10-man team are Greame McDowell, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, the foursome securing their places through their final positions in the 2013 Race to Dubai.

The remaining six spots in the European side will be taken from the leading four available players from the official World Golf Ranking on February 3, while Jimenez will play himself and have a single captain's pick.

McDowell, who secured the winning point at the 2010 Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor, said: "It's a great concept to bring Asia and Europe together and I think it has a lot of potential to become a very big event. I am really looking forward to playing in it."

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