Bhullar ecstatic after Royal Trophy selection

New Delhi: Big-hitting Gaganjeet Bhullar got a perfect Christmas gift as Asian captain Joe Ozaki named the rising Indian golfer in the Asian team which will defend the Royal Trophy against Europe in early January next year.

Bhullar became the second Indian, following Jeev Milkha Singh, in the Asian team which also includes golf's newest global superstar Ryo Ishikawa.

Bhullar was thrilled after he won the eighth and final spot on Ozaki's powerful-looking Asian line-up and the 21-year-old vowed to live up to his captain's expectations.

"This crowns a wonderful year for me. My ambition was to win my first Asian Tour title and to achieve that was very pleasing. And to finish it off by being selected to represent the whole of Asia in such a prestigious competition is something I could not have even dreamed of at the start of 2009," said Bhullar.

Ozaki justified the selection of young guns like Bhullar and Ishikawa, saying, "It is good to see the future of the game here is in such good hands. These are the players who will form the backbone of future Asian Teams down the years."

Jeev Milkha Singh also welcomed Bhullar's selection and said he was delighted that the youngster would be teeing off alongside him at the Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand.

"Gaganjeet has been recognised as one of India's most exciting young players since he emerged as our top amateur a few years ago. I was aware of his potential even before that, and it is great to see he has made a similar impact on the professional scene this year, winning five times in India as well as claiming his maiden Asian Tour victory," Jeev said.

"His game is well suited to team matchplay. He hits the ball a long way and makes a lot of birdies, which is what you need in this format. I am confident I will get the opportunity to partner Gaganjeet in the Royal Trophy, as Captain Ozaki seems to have shrewdly chosen his team with some ready-made pairings in mind," he added.

Jeev was confident of his team's might but he warned that the Asians cannot afford to drop their guard against the revenge-thirsty Europeans.

"We will need to be at our best, because there is no doubt the European players are eager for revenge after their 10-6 defeat at the 2009 Royal Trophy.

"As someone who plays regularly on the European Tour I know that defeat did not go down well, and they are sending a much stronger-looking team this time," Jeev explained.

The fourth edition of the Royal Trophy will take place on 8-10 January 2010 at the exclusive Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand.

The Championship will feature a series of 16 matches including the foursomes, four-ball and singles formats.