Jeev Milkha Singh, Darren Clarke​ to lead Asia and Europe in Eurasia golf

Kuala Lumpur: Jeev Milkha Singh and Darren Clarke will captain Asia and Europe, respectively at the EurAsia Cup at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club here from January 15 to 17 next year.

Singh and Clarke are relishing the opportunity to lead their respective continents after an unforgettable 10-10 draw at the event's inaugural staging in 2014. Both of them will be the non-playing captains of 12-member teams.

"It's an honour to be offered the EurAsia Cup captaincy and I am very excited by the prospect of leading what I hope will be a very strong Asian team. It is a special event. I remember watching it two years ago and it was so exciting. I think it's going to be great for Asia and Europe," Singh said.

"Golf is now a global sport so it's going to be a fantastic competition. I'm looking forward to going up against Darren. I'm going to have a lot of fun with him!"

Clarke added: "We have played together on Tour for most of our careers, so we have played together for a very long time. Both teams that are assembled will be desperate to win the EurAsia

Cup for the first time when we get to Kuala Lumpur. Jeev will be trying to kick my butt and I will be trying to kick his. It's going to be a great week -- the guys are really looking forward to it already."

The second EurAsia Cup, which will see six fourball matches and six foursomes matches played over the opening two days before 12, final day singles matches will determine the winner, the players of both Asia and Europe will be guided by two of golf's most respected competitors.

Singh is a former Asian Tour number one, who has won 20 times around the world including four European Tour victories, is India's most successful player.

The 43-year-old from Chandigarh is relishing every aspect of his captaincy of Asia's EurAsia Cup team and believes the Asian players are now more than ever capable of out playing and out fighting their European counterparts in team competition, with four Asian players qualifying for the Presidents Cup side to face the USA in Korea next month.

"There are so many world class Asian players," said Singh. "We have a lot of players in the Presidents Cup team this year which proves how good these guys are now. I want them to have fun and be positive and make sure the team spirit is there so we can try and achieve a great result.

"There will be a rivalry between the players -- it has to be there. But I think we will have our players ready. Everybody is trying to win out there and make the most out of it. I think rivalry is what gets the best out of a player in many ways."