Fujita’s Nomination Adds Strength to Asian Team

Hong Kong (Hong Kong) – September 4, 2013 – Asian Team Captain Y.E. Yang has followed his previous player appointments for the Asian Team for the next edition of the Royal Trophy with the nomination of another Asian golf superstar – Japan’s Hiroyuki Fujita.

Fujita, who crowned an outstanding season by winning the Japan Golf Tour Order of Merit title last year, joins Captain Y.E. Yang’s current collection of Asia’s best to face the might of Europe at the Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, from 20-22 December 2013.

One of Japan’s most accomplished players, Fujita presented an irresistible claim for selection with four tournament victories on his way to securing the top position in Asia’s most traditional and established Tour, as well as registering nine more top ten finishes. He also recorded the lowest stroke average on the Tour.

That glorious run took his career total to 15 wins on the Japan Golf Tour – and he almost made it 16 when finishing runner-up at Japan’s PGA Championship earlier this year.

Team Captain Y.E. Yang – one of the stars of Asia’s dramatic play-off victory over Europe in the 2012 Royal Trophy – said selecting Fujita was one of his easier decisions.

He explained: “Hiroyuki Fujita enjoyed a great year in 2012 and remains in outstanding form.

“He is a very experienced and highly effective player and will be a great asset in our efforts to prevail over the Europeans at the Royal Trophy.

“I have now announced two Japanese players for our team; Hiroyuki Fujita and Hideki Matsuyama. Together with my countryman K.T. Kim and China’s Liang Wen-chong, our team is developing extremely well and I am very confident that we will present very tough opposition to the Europeans.

“I am also counting on great support from Vice-Captain Zhang Lian-wei and together we will battle very hard for Asia.

“We are defending the Royal Trophy and a second consecutive victory following our great success last year in Brunei would soundly re-affirm the strong position of Asian golf.

“It promises to be a fantastic match between the defenders of the Royal Trophy and the Ryder Cup holders.”

Hiroyuki Fujita, 44, is delighted to be making his first appearance in the Seve Ballesteros-inspired Event, which has grown enormously in stature since it was first held in 2006.

Following Seve’s death two years ago, after a brave battle with brain cancer, it forms part of his glorious legacy to the game he illuminated while winning five Major championships and a staggering 96 tournaments worldwide.

Fujita commented: “I would like to thank Captain Y.E. Yang for appointing me to the Asian Team for the Royal Trophy.

“There are many great professional golfers in Asia and it is a true honour to be part of this highly exclusive selection of players entrusted to represent our continent.

“This is the first time I will compete for Asia at the Royal Trophy and I am very excited about it. I have followed the growth of the Event closely and many of my Japan Golf Tour colleagues have captained the Asian Team or played for the continent.

“It will be a very special moment for me to wear the Asian colors.

“The Royal Trophy is an extremely important tournament and I am delighted to have the opportunity to play under Captain Y.E. Yang and Vice-Captain Zhang Lian-wei.

“Winning the Royal Trophy for Asia is really a dream; and a dream I will fight very hard to bring to fruition.

“The competition is embedded in great history and was inspired by the late Seve Ballesteros. This is a fact that I will always respect and honour.”

The Japan Golf Tour, Asia’s leading professional golf Tour, is a long-term partner of the Royal Trophy – a cooperation which started at the Event’s inception.

Katsuji Ebisawa, Chairman of the Japan Golf Tour Organization, expressed delight as he welcomed the news of Fujita’s selection.

He said: “The Japan Golf Tour Organization is very pleased with the announcement that Hiroyuki Fujita has been selected to represent Asia at the seventh edition of the Royal Trophy.

“He joins Hideki Matsuyama as representatives of Japan in the Asian Team and we are fully confident that they will compete for our continent with the utmost commitment and dedication.

“The Royal Trophy is a very important event for the Japan Golf Tour Organization. The competition has featured our long-standing Tour Members Masahiro Kuramoto and Naomichi

Ozaki as Asian Team Captains over the previous six editions; with the captaincy of Naomichi Ozaki remarkably extending for five editions and bringing two magnificent victories for Asia.

“The Japan Golf Tour Organization is also delighted that both Isao Aoki and Naomichi Ozaki are Members of the Royal Trophy Players’ Committee; providing great tradition and strength in the leadership and stewardship of this traditional team competition played between Asia and Europe.”

His sentiments were echoed by Andy Yamanaka, Executive Director of the Japan Golf Tour Organization & Chief Tournament Director of the Royal Trophy. He predicted another thrilling Clash of the Continents in December, and said everything was geared towards making the seventh Royal Trophy the most spectacular edition so far.

He explained: “Preparations for the Royal Trophy are proceeding very well. We are looking forward to a most successful seventh edition of the Royal Trophy featuring very competitive matches played in a true spirit of sportsmanship and promoting the great traditions of our sport.

“We will continue to honour and respect the legacy of the late Seve Ballesteros to the best of our ability,” concluded Andy Yamanaka.

The late legendary five-time Major winner Seve Ballesteros captained the European Team in the two inaugural editions of the Event; and predicted that the Tournament would “…grow into one of the world’s greatest sporting competitions.”

The charismatic Ballesteros, one of the greatest advocates for the popularisation of the sport, in the early years of the Competition looked forward to the time when it would be hosted in China and bring the excitement, passion and competitiveness of team golf to the Chinese people – an honour which now rests with the Dragon Lake Golf Club, the Royal Trophy Host Venue.

“It is very exciting to witness the strength of the Asian Team which Captain Y.E. Yang is bringing together to confront the José Maria Olazábal-led Europeans. The next edition of the Royal Trophy promises to deliver another magnificent edition of this traditional and very well established competition,” stated Lincoln Venancio, the Royal Trophy Co-Managing Director.

“We are very thankful for the great support the Royal Trophy enjoys from the China Golf Association, Guangdong Province and Guangzhou Municipality, Japan Golf Tour Organization and many other major institutions. The Dragon Lake Golf Club is an outstanding Host Venue and is implementing all efforts to ensure that the Royal Trophy is staged in formidable fashion – fitting for a great championship of remarkable history, great heritage and immense importance,” concluded Lincoln Venancio.

The Royal Trophy Players’ Committee is comprised of Sir Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam OBE, José Maria Olazábal, Paul McGinley, Isao Aoki, Naomichi ‘Joe’ Ozaki and Jeev Milkha Singh.

The Royal Trophy is strongly supported by the China Golf Association – the People’s Republic’s governing body for the sport, the Japan Golf Tour Organization – a member of the International Federation of PGAs and numerous other organizations.

About the Royal Trophy
The seventh edition of the Royal Trophy – Europe vs Asia Golf Championship will be held at Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province in the People’s Republic of China on 20-22 December 2013. The continents will compete in a series of 16 foursomes, four-ball and singles matches. The Royal Trophy Players’ Committee is comprised of Sir Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam OBE, José Maria Olazábal, Paul McGinley, Isao Aoki, Naomichi ‘Joe’ Ozaki and Jeev Milkha Singh.

For further information, please contact:
Doris Chang
Entertainment Group (Asia) Limited
Tel: (852) 2834 0060
Fax: (852) 2838 8593
Email: doris@eg-rt.com
Website: www.TheRoyalTrophy.com