A strong Asia-Pacific invitation side has been named to take on Team China in the third edition of the Dongfeng Nissan Cup next month to counter a mainland squad determined to win the Ryder-Cup style tournament for a first time.
The Asia-Pacific side boasts four OneAsia tournament winners with five titles between them, as well as a pair of Japanese stars to showcase the burgeoning relationship with the Japan Golf Tour Organisation.
The tournament takes place at CTS Tycoon Golf Club in Shenzhen from December 13-15 and pits 12 Asia-Pacific players against a China national team over three days of matchplay competition. The visitors won the inaugural 2011 tournament 12 1/2 - 11 1/2, and retained the title last year with a 14 1/2 - 9 1/2 victory.
Australian golfing legend Peter Thomson, a five-time winner of Britain’s Open Championship, will captain the Asia-Pacific team for a third time and has again hand-picked OneAsia regular Scott Laycock as his playing deputy.
Leading the charge for the visitors is Australian Matthew Griffin, who currently tops the OneAsia Order of Merit title race following an excellent season capped by victory at the SK Telecom Open.
Another powerful addition to the squad is Korean Choi Ho-sung, winner of this year’s Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia PGA Championship, and countryman Kim Dae-sub, the 2012 Kolon Korea Open champion.
The Japan Tour representatives are Kazuhiro Yamashita, currently 21st on their Order of Merit, and Masamichi Uehira, ranked 56th.
From New Zealand, former European and U.S. PGA Tour member Michael Long will be making his third appearance in the tournament, joined by debutant Gareth Paddison, who has had an excellent season on OneAsia in 2013 and is currently 17th on the money list.
South-East Asia’s contribution to the squad comes in the form of Thai heavyweight Thaworn Wiratchant, winner of the Indonesian Open on OneAsia in 2011, and Rory Hie, the home favourite he beat into joint second place in that tournament.
The squad is rounded off by Singapore’s Choo Tze-huang, making his second appearance, and Erica Mina, who has a foot either side of the Pacific by virtue of being America-born to parents of Philippine extraction. Mina won OneAsia’s inaugural California Q-School in January.