BANGKOK: Europe named their line-up for next year’s Royal Trophy yesterday, adding three new names to complete Colin Montgomerie’s eight-man team to face Asia in the matchplay contest.Alexander Noren and Peter Hanson have been included, taking the number of Swedes in the team to four.

Also joining the team for the contest in Thailand in January will be 23-year-old Spaniard Pablo Martin, one of six European debutants.

Scotsman Montgomerie is hoping his team can wrestle back the Royal Trophy after an embarrassing 10-6 trouncing by Asia last year.

He will be the first player-captain to contest the event since it began in 2006.

Montgomerie last month replaced fivetime Major winner Seve Ballesteros, who was involved in creating the annual Ryder Cup-style event.

The Spaniard had previously planned to lead the European effort but is still recovering from brain cancer.

Swedes Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson, Dane Soren Kjeldsen and Briton Simon Dyson were also named in the team.

Europe won the first two editions of the Royal Trophy but paid the price for fielding a weakened team last January when they were thrashed by a resurgent Asian side, which will be captained by Japan’s Naomichi ‘Joe’ Ozaki for the third time.

The three-day event featuring foursomes, fourballs and singles competitions will run from Jan 8-10 at Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, east of Bangkok. — Reuters