EurAsia Cup joins 2014 European Tour International Schedule

The EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM, a new match-play event between Europe and Asia, will be part of the initial sector ofThe 2014 European Tour International Schedule, which was unveiled today.

Taking place at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Malaysia from March 28-30, 2014, theEurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOMwill be sanctioned by The European Tour and the Asian Tour, pitting ten of Europe’s leading players against a ten man team from Asia in a format similar to The Ryder Cup.

Europe will select the leading four players available from the final Race to Dubai rankings at the conclusion of the 2013 season, the leading four players available from the Official World Golf Ranking on Monday, February 3, 2014 and two captain’s picks.

The make-up of the Asian team will include the leading four available Asian players from the final 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit, the leading three available Asian players invited on the basis of their Official World Golf Ranking and three captain’s picks.

The two captains will be chosen by The European Tour and the Asian Tour respectively and will be announce at a later date.

The inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM will be held 15 years after the historic first event to be co-sanctioned between the two Tours, the Malaysian Open – a tournament that continues to go from strength to strength under the title sponsorship of Maybank.

It is one of two new events announced on the early part of the 2014 International Schedule, along with the Nedbank Golf Challenge, which takes place at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa, from December 5-8, 2013.

With a prize fund of US$6,500,000, the Nedbank Golf Challenge will be co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour and will feature a 30-player field boasting some of the world’s leading stars.

It is one of seven events in South Africa on the initial sector of The 2014 Race to Dubai, which is launched with the South African Open Championship at Glendower Golf Club, Johannesburg, from November 21-24, 2013.

The Alfred Dunhill Championship takes place the following week, from November 28 –December 1, at Leopard Creek Golf Club, Malelane, with the Nedbank Golf Challenge completing the initial South African swing, before the second edition of The Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa takes place at Mount Edgecombe CC, in Durban, from December 12-15, 2013.

The European Tour will then return to South Africa for the Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club, from February 6-9; the Africa Open at East London Golf Club, from February 13-16; and the Tshwane Open, which returns to Copperleaf Golf and Country Club, from February 27-March 2.

After the Volvo Golf Champions heralds the start of the 2014 calendar year from January 9-12 (venue to be confirmed), the traditional ‘desert swing’ begins with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, from January 16-19, followed by the Commercialbank Qatar Masters, from January 22-25, and culminating with the 25th anniversary edition of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club, from January 30-February 2.

With the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club (February 19-23) and the WGC-Cadillac Championship (March 6-9) taking place in America, the global appeal of The European Tour’s initial sector is further highlighted with the return to The Race to Dubai of the Hong Kong Open, from December 5-8, 2013, and the fifth consecutive appearance of the Trophée Hassan II, in Morocco, from March 13-16, 2014.

Keith Waters, The European Tour’s Chief Operating Officer and Director of International Policy, said: “We are delighted to announce the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM as part of our initial sector of The 2014 European Tour International Schedule, and we are all excited by the prospect of this match-play event between Europe and Asia.

“Our thanks go to DRB-HICOM, Glenmarie Golf and Country Club, Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM)  and  the Malaysian government for supporting this event, which extends The European Tour’s already strong partnership with the Asian Tour that dates back to 1999, when Malaysia staged the first co-sanctioned event between the two Tours.

“With the addition of the Nedbank Golf Challenge – one of seven events in South Africa – and the continued strength of the ‘desert swing’, including the 25th anniversary of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, we can look forward to an outstanding start to The 2014 Race to Dubai.”