The three-day matchplay event, the second in its succession, kicks off on Friday at Bangkok's Amata Spring Country Club, a news conference on Wednesday announced, with all 16 players representing two continents and the two team captains present.

    Like the Ryder Cup matchplay event between Europe and the United States, the Royal Trophy takes three different formats -- foursomes on the opening day followed by four-ball on day two and singles on the last day.

    Spainish veteran Seve Ballesteros, one of the driving forces behind the event's creation, again captains the European team, following a 9-7 victory for his side in the inaugural competition last year.

    This year, Seve is leading a team lined up with five members of the Europe team who won the 2006 Ryder Cup, which gave him confidence to keep hold of the Royal Trophy donated by Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

    The Asian team was captained by Japan's Naomichi "Joe" Ozaki and featured Indian star Jeev Milkha Singh, who ranked 37th in the world after a breakthrough 2006, and Korean Yang Yong-eun, who defeated world number one Tiger Woods to win the HSBC Champions in Shanghai last November.