The 2012 golf contest between the 12 member Asia Pacific Golf Team and a twelve member Europe Team will start from Wednesdy,25th April at the par 72,Monte Rei Golf and Country Club Golf Course in Portugal.
A notable honor for Palistan is that Taimoor Hassan,a legendary golfer of the country and Secretary,Pakistan Golf Federation has been nominated as non playing Captain of the Asia Pacific Team,by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation that looks after amateur golf in Asia,Australia and New Zealand.This three days international golf event between teams from Asia Pacific and Europe was introduced in 1998 and eversince is held every two years,hosted alternately in Asia or Europe.The last edition in 2010 scheduled for India was cancelled owing to the volcanic ash eruptions in Europe which restricted air travel.
The current Asia Pacific Team led by Taimoor Hassan of Pakistan is strong indeed and comprises the 2012 US Masters leading amateur,the Asia Amateur Champion,the Australian Amateur Medallist,the World Universities Champion,the New Zealand Amateur Champion,the Chinese Amateur Champion,the Australian Mens Stroke Play Champion,Australian Boys Champion,Japan Open Leading Amateur,Taiwanese Amateur champion and Thailand Match Play Champion.And the names of these players are,Benjamin Campbell,Mathew Perry(New Zealand),Jake Higginbottom,Cameron Smith(Australia),Chang Woo Lee,Soo Min Lee(Korea),Hideke Malsuyama,Taiher Sato(Japan),Seenappa Chikkarangappa,Khali Hiteshi Joshi(India),Chien Yao Hung(Chinese Taipei),and Natipong Snithong(Thailand).
Team Europe comprises of Thomas Delry(Belgium),Alan Dunbar(Ireland),Rhys Enoch(Wales),Jack Hilute,Ben Taylor(England),Daan Huizing,Robin Kind(Netherlands),Moritz Lampert,Marcel Scneider(Germany),Jon Rahm(Spain),Robert Karlsson(Sweden) and Manuel Trappel(Austria).The non playing Captain of Team Europe is Andrew B.Morgan of Wales.In previous years,Shahid Javed Khan of Royal Palm has been a member of the Asia Pacific Team as a playing team member.Current holders of the Sir Michael Bonnellack Trophy for which the contenders aim for,is held by Europe which they won in 2008.The Monte Rei Golf Course,where this championship starts today, is a world class golf destination in Portugal. designed by Jack Nicklaus.
