ROYAL TROPHY:EUROPE ARE braced for a stiff test at this week's Royal Trophy against an Asian team billed as the best yet and eager for payback after losing in a thriller last time around.

The action gets under way tomorrow and runs for three days, featuring a foursomes, fourballs and singles matches.

Naomichi Ozaki, a winner of 32 Japan Tour titles, will captain Asia for a fourth time.

Asia start as the underdogs against Colin Montgomerie’s side, but will be buoyed by home advantage for the fifth straight time at a new venue, the Black Mountain Golf Club in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin, one of Asia’s fastest-growing golfing hubs.

Montgomerie is oozing confidence after captaining sides to Ryder Cup and Royal Trophy wins in the last year, but is braced for a tense tussle when he returns as player-captain for the second time.

“When you look at the Asian team and the strength they have on board, you can see Asia is booming in the world of golf,” Montgomerie said in Bangkok yesterday.

The 47-year-old Scot has opted for a blend of fresh talent with trusted stalwarts of the European game, recalling Henrik Stenson and Johan Edfors to join four newcomers in a team that boast a combined 50 European Tour titles.

The Royal Trophy was conceived in 2005 by Seve Ballesteros amid a boom in the Asian game, and although Europe has won three of the four editions, Asia’s team have grown stronger each year.

Asia won the 2009 edition with a 10-6 thrashing of an under-strength Europe led by Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal before suffering a narrow defeat in 2010.

EUROPE: Colin Montgomerie (Sco), Rhys Davies (Wal), Pablo Martin (Spa), Matteo Manassero (Ita), Johan Edfors, Peter Hanson, Henrik Stenson, Fredrik Andersson Hed (all Swe).

ASIA: Ryo Ishikawa, Yuta Ikeda, Shunsuke Sonoda (all Jpn), Kim Kyung-tae, Noh Seung-yul (both S Kor), Liang Wenchong (Chn), Thongchai Jaidee (Thai), Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind).