Darren Clarke and Jeev Milkha Singh will captain Europe and Asia respectively at the EurAsia Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Mala-ysia, from January 15 to 17 next year, and both are looking forward to the challenge.
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It will be a good introduction to team captaincy for the Northern Irishman, who is sure to face a rowdy crowd when battle lines are drawn with the Americans in 12 months’ time.
Europe Captain Darren Clarke said, “We have known each other a really long time, We have played together on Tour for most of our careers, so we have played together for a very long time”.
“I was planning to be out in Kuala Lumpur anyway but now in accepting the captaincy role I will get more interaction with the players, and players I could very well be taking with me to Hazeltine later next year”.
“There will be a rivalry between the players – it has to be there”.
Clarke replaces Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez as skipper of the Europeans, whose debut team in Malaysia two years ago lacked the star names of the continent like Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson. “If he is in and out, does not get to play a whole lot of tournaments, it will be tough for him to make the team”. “I can not think of a better person to share this journey as captain with”. “We are hoping that all four of them are playing, we need their veteran leadership, but, if not, they have said “look, I will do whatever it takes”.
For Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, Clarke, it will be a great opportunity to get a feel for captaining a European team ahead of September’s big event against America.
“I have to see how the team shapes up – some of the guys I will know very well and some I won’t know so well in terms of their golf games”.
Europe is the defending champion and has dominated the Ryder Cup over the past 30 years, losing the cup only four times since 1985.
“We want to go there and win the EurAsia Cup. It’s going to be very hot as we know KL always is, but the majority of golfers now are athletes who are fit and strong young men so we should be able to handle that”.
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Clarke says he’s counting on an “electric” atmosphere at Hazeltine National next fall with the spectators skewing against his 12-member squad.
