In 2000, Seve Ballesteros created the Seve Trophy, a team competition consisting of a team from Continental Europe and a team from Great Britain and Ireland. I am the only European golfer to have played in every one of the Seve Trophy events. In 2013 Continental Europe finally came out on top having lost every one since the first event at Sunningdale. At last!
One of the highlights of 2014, was being asked by the European Tour to be a Playing Captain at the first EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM, a match play team event between Europe and Asia. Naturally I was honoured and very pleased to accept the opportunity, and our Team set out in March for The Glenmarie Golf & Country Club in Kuala Lumpur. My friend, ThongchaiJaidee was my opposite, as Playing Captain of Team Asia, and as we expected, the Asian team were very strong competitors. At the end of Day 1, Team Europe was in a very strong position, but Team Asia fought back on Day 2 and on the Final Day had an incredible performance. In the end we shared the Trophy which was a fitting result for the first EurAsia Cup.
Finally, I must not forget about the Alfred Dunhill Cup, a very special team event we played up until 2000 on the Old Course at St Andrew’s in Scotland. Teams of three represented their country in a match play event, and I am very happy to have been a part of the Spanish team that won in 1999 with Sergio García and José María Olazábal, and the last tournament in 2000 with Miguel Ángel Martín and again with José María. Great fun despite battling the wind and rain in Scotland in October!