Hong Kong: Graeme McDowell, the first of four automatic qualifiers, will be among the biggest names starring for Team Europe at the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM.<\/p>\n
After being unveiled as European Captain at a Press Conference in Hong Kong, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jim\u00e9nez announced the first four automatic qualifiers for his 10-man team to face Thongchai Jaidee\u2019s Asian Team at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur from March 27-29, 2014.<\/p>\n
McDowell will be joined in Malaysia by Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson and Gonzalo Fernandez-Casta\u00f1o, all four securing their places on the team thanks to their final position in the 2013 Race to Dubai.<\/p>\n
Having holed the winning putt at the 2010 Ryder Cup and as the current Volvo World Match Play Champion, McDowell knows a thing or two about the pressures of team golf and the unique nature of match play.\n<\/p>\n
The 2010 US Open Champion will be a huge presence both inside and outside the ropes for Jim\u00e9nez, and he is relishing the chance to contribute to more European success.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am really looking forward to playing the EurAsia Cup,\u201d said McDowell, who finished the 2013 season fourth in the Race to Dubai. \u201cIt\u2019s a great concept to bring Asia and Europe together and I think it has a lot of potential to become a very big event.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone knows the standards in Asian golf are continually rising and I have no doubt it will be a tough job to go away from home and win.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if we gel as a team and get the pairings right then we will have a chance because there will be a lot of quality and experienced players in the European Team and I am sure a few of them will be looking to sharpen their match play skills with an eye on The Ryder Cup next year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Donaldson, Dubuisson and Fernandez-Casta\u00f1o are three such players who know that a strong showing in the EurAsia Cup could boost their Ryder Cup hopes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great to have qualified for the team,\u201d said Donaldson winner of the 2013 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Champions. \u201cI have played for Great Britain and Ireland in the last two Seve Trophies and really enjoyed those experiences so it will be interesting to now represent Europe in a team competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s obviously a big year for team golf in Europe with the EurAsia Cup in March and then The Ryder Cup in September so I am looking forward to trying to be involved in two winning European teams.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dubuisson, meanwhile, is still living in dreamland after his unforgettable victory over Tiger Woods and the rest of the best at the Turkish Airlines Open in November changed the path of his career. The young Frenchman\u2019s victory in Turkey helped him finish the year at sixth in the Race to Dubai to qualify for Jim\u00e9nez\u2019s EurAsia Cup team.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s amazing to qualify for this team,\u201d said Dubuisson. \u201cWinning in Turkey has changed so many things in my career and this is another benefit. It\u2019s been a bit of a dream to be honest but hopefully I can continue to play at this level and help the team win the Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fernandez-Casta\u00f1o, winner of the BMW Masters presented by SRE Group in October, is relishing the chance to play under his old friend and compatriot Jim\u00e9nez.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be an honour to represent Europe and a very special week for to play under Miguel,\u201d said Fernandez-Casta\u00f1o. \u201cSpanish players have a rich history of playing for and then captaining European teams in Seve Trophies and Ryder Cups and it is nice to be a part of that tradition.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe EurAsia Cup is a fantastic idea and could become something very special \u2013 this could be the beginning of a very special era of team golf for Asia and Europe and it is great to be involved the first match because it will be an historic occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hong Kong: Graeme McDowell, the first of four automatic qualifiers, will be among the biggest names starring for Team Europe at the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM.<\/p>\n
After being unveiled as European Captain at a Press Conference in Hong Kong, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jim\u00e9nez announced the first four automatic qualifiers for his 10-man team to face Thongchai Jaidee\u2019s Asian Team at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur from March 27-29, 2014.<\/p>\n
McDowell will be joined in Malaysia by Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson and Gonzalo Fernandez-Casta\u00f1o, all four securing their places on the team thanks to their final position in the 2013 Race to Dubai.<\/p>\n
Having holed the winning putt at the 2010 Ryder Cup and as the current Volvo World Match Play Champion, McDowell knows a thing or two about the pressures of team golf and the unique nature of match play.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world-golf-news"],"yoast_head":"\n