“The EurAsia Cup could become a neat biennial addition.”
Team golf takes centre stage this week as Europe and Asia do battle in the inaugural EurAsia Cup.
The European Tour wants to expand into Asia and is determined not to let the PGA Tour muscle in first.
They have created a Ryder Cup-style format over three days, with two teams of 10 competing for 20 points in foursomes, fourballs and singles.
Critics have suggested this new event is just a copy of the Royal Trophy another match between Europe and Asia.
There are also claims it tarnishes the legacy of Seve Ballesteros. On this point, I must respond.
The Royal Trophy was created by Seve’s nephew, Ivan Ballesteros. It doesn’t carry Seve’s name and it’s been played mostly in Thailand and Brunei!
It’s no longer sanctioned by the European Tour and is struggling to find a place in the crowded schedule.
Seve’s current legacy is the Seve Trophy, but in recent years that has struggled to attract the top names, and even a sponsor.
It’s less meaningful and it won’t surprise me if this new EurAsia Cup supercedes it.
The right way to honour Seve is with a full-field 72-hole tournament rather than an exclusive group of 20 players.
It should be at his home course of Pedrena in Northern Spain to see where he grew up and learned the game.
The event could be like a golfing pilgrimage for aspiring young pros to be inspired by the memory of Europe’s greatest ever player.
The state of the Spanish economy means it’s probably a few years off, but I know Seve’s ex-wife
Carmen and his children are fully behind this idea.
Look at America. They have events for Byron
Nelson, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, and we can do the same for Seve.
You can be sure Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley will keep a close eye on events in Malaysia.
It’s a European team made up of probables and possibles for Gleneagles later this year, headed by Graeme McDowell.
Paul can have a look at potential rookies like Frenchman Victor
Dubuisson and Jamie Donaldson, the current leader of the Race to Dubai.
So it’s no coincidence that Des Smyth has been asked to assist Europe’s captain, Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Europe are a stronger team, but hot and humid conditions and grainy greens will favour the Asian players.
It should be close, but there’s no point comparing it to the Ryder Cup because that dwarfs everything else.
But if successful, the EurAsia Cup could become a neat biennial addition.
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