Asia all-time great Isao Aoki expresses his unrelenting support for the Royal Trophy (COURTESY OF ROYAL TROPHY)

Stakeholders in European and Asian golf have been urged to join forces to "protect, promote and strengthen" the Royal Trophy.

As the seventh edition of the annual match play contest between Europe and Asia was held at China's Dragon Lake Golf Club in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Asian golfing stalwarts Isao Aoki, Naomichi 'Joe' Ozaki and Jeev Milkha Singh reiterated their hopes of a glittering future for the Royal Trophy.

Members of the Royal Trophy Asian Players' Committee, Japan's Aoki and Ozaki and Indian Singh have been staunch supporters of the event dreamt up by the late Spanish great Seve Ballesteros and inaugurated in 2006.

Currently, the Royal Trophy is sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour Organisation and the China Golf Association, and is supported by the OneAsia Tour – three of the region's most powerful and influential bodies.

And the Asian trio have made it clear they would like to see other professional circuits within the jurisdiction of the two continents tie up with the Royal Trophy to further cement the event's standing in the golfing world.

They officially invite all leaders of Asian and European professional golf to act in unison to protect, promote and strengthen this great series of matches which is of enormous value to the further development of the sport in the region.

Standing behind the Royal Trophy and the extending of complete support for it are the natural steps to be undertaken by the stakeholders of European and Asian golf.

"The Royal Trophy represents for Asian golf what the Ryder Cup represents for Europe; something of great value and very close to our hearts," said a message from Aoki, Ozaki and Singh. "This is our premier team competition and we are delighted to witness the fantastic growth it continues to experience."