FORMIDABLE PARTNERSHIP: The highly successful pairing of K.T. Kim (left) and Y.E. Yang is set to repeat at the 7th Royal Trophy in Guangzhou starting December 20 (COURTESY OF ROYAL TROPHY)

Team captain Y.E. Yang has announced that Korean golfer K.T. Kim will be a member of the Asian Team for the seventh Royal Trophy tournament at Guangzhou's Dragon Lake Golf Club, in south China's Guangdong Province. The competition will be taking place between December 20 till December 22, 2013.

Widely known as a master of match play golf, Seoul resident Kim was instrumental in the Asian victory at the Royal Trophy in Brunei last year. Partnering with Y.E. Yang in a dramatic play off, Kim sank an 8-foot putt to overcome European Ryder Cup stars Francesco Molinari of Italy and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts.

K.T. Kim has won nine professional titles, including the Japan Golf Tour Order of Merit in 2010 and his gold medals in both the team and individual competitions at the Asian Games the same year.

"K.T. Kim has demonstrated his tremendous capability as well as his value to the Asian Team and it is not surprising that Captain Y.E. Yang would want to have him on his side during the next Royal Trophy," stated Lincoln Venancio, co-managing director of the Royal Trophy.

"He was a very important player for the Asian Team and was instrumental to their defeat of the European Team who held the Ryder Cup at the time. He demonstrated an uncanny fantastic ability to handle the pressure and play outstanding golf when most needed," he added.

The Royal Trophy is the official competition between Asia and Europe and it was created in concert with the vision of the late Seve Ballesteros, winnor of five Major Championships.

"This year is the first time China has hosted the Royal Trophy and as such it is a historic event. The Royal Trophy Players' Committee is looking forward to a magnificent competition between Europe and Asia and a great showcase of continental team match play golf," stated Sir Nick Faldo, Royal Trophy Players' Committee Member and six time Major Championship winner.

"We are very pleased that China is hosting the seventh Royal Trophy. We believe that the Royal Trophy will make a huge contribution to the further development of golf in China and will similarly provide powerful inspiration through hosting such championship," said Zhang Xiaoning, secretary general of the China Golf Association.

Asian Team Captain Y.E. Yang will lead Asia in their defense of the Royal Trophy while European Ryder Cup hero José Maria Olazábal will captain the European Team. K.T. Kim joins Asia's highest ranked golfer, Hideki Matsuyama, as a member of the Asian Team.