FIRST TROPHY: Chinese golfer Zhang Lianwei tees off at the inaugural Royal Trophy in Thailand in 2006 (COURTESY OF ROYAL TROPHY)

Chinese golf legends Zhang Lianwei and Liang Wenchong have been appointed to join the Asian Team for the seventh annual Royal Trophy by captain Y.E. Yang, with Zhang receiving the vice captain position.

The upcoming Royal Trophy tournament lasts three days and will be taking place at Guangzhou's Dragon Lake Golf Course in south China's Guangdong Province. It is scheduled to begin on December 20.

Both Zhang, 48, and Liang, 35, are from Guangdong and the two of them considered by many as the most accomplished Chinese golfers in history. They have both represented Asia at the Royal Trophy before: Zhang, in the inaugural tournament played in Thailand in 2006; and Liang four times, including both years the Asian Team claimed victory.

"I am thankful that Captain Y.E. Yang has nominated me for this prestigious and very important role in the Asian Team and I am looking forward with great anticipation to working together with him in leading Asia to victory in Guangzhou," said Zhang, winner of over fifteen professional career titles.

The Royal Trophy is played over three days in a highly competitive team match-play format across a total of sixteen matches including foursomes, four-ball and singles matches. Asia and Europe are each represented by a team of eight players from their continent.  

FOR THE WIN: China's top golfer Liang Wenchong battles for Asia at the Royal Trophy (COURTESY OF ROYAL TROPHY)

"This promises to be one of the most important moments of my career and I expect it to be a very emotional time. I am certain that I will enjoy great support from the Chinese fans and this will be very helpful as we confront the Europeans. We have defeated them twice now, including last year," said Liang, winner of eleven professional career titles.  

Liang joins Asia's highest ranked professional golfer, Hideki Matsuyama, and Korean match play maestro K.T. Kim as the first three players nominated for the Asian Team.

"Zhang and Liang are remarkable professional players and they will represent China with great sportsmanship, determination and commitment for both China and Asia as a whole," said Zhang Xiaoning, secretary general of the China Golf Association.

The Royal Trophy is a competition between Asia and Europe and it was created in concert with the vision of the late Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros, winner of five Major Championships. Sanctioned this year by the China Golf Association, the Royal Trophy is Asia's largest and most extensive professional golf tour.  

"The competition continues to experience monumental growth each year and is on a clear course to fulfill the prediction of the late visionary Seve Ballesteros: that the Royal Trophy would grow into one of the world's greatest sporting competitions," said Lincoln Venancio, Royal Trophy Co-Managing Director.