Bae Sang-moon of Korea and the Asian team will clash with the European squad at the sixth edition of the Royal Trophy golf championship in Brunei from Dec. 14-16.

Asian team captain Naomichi “Joe” Ozaki added the 26-year-old to his lineup Thursday, Entertainment Group (Asia) Limited, which promotes the Europe versus Asia golf event, said.

Bae finished at the top of the Japan Golf Tour Order of Merit last year and played full time in the highly competitive PGA Tour this year. Recently, he finished runner-up in the CJ Invitational, shooting four rounds in the 60s.

“It is never easy for Asian golfers to adjust to the different conditions in America, but Bae has made an extremely good job of it,” Ozaki said.

Bae impressed in the World Match Play Championship, his first world golf championship. He lost a closely contested match against world No. 1 Rory McIlroy.

The nomination of the former Korean Open and Japan Open champion formed a mighty Korean trio. Bae will join two compatriots ― Asia’s first Major winner Yang Yong-eun and Asian Games double gold medalist Kim Kyung-tae. Other Asian picks by Ozaki are Japanese stars Ryo Ishikawa and Yoshinori Fujimoto.

European team captain Jose Maria Olazabal has lined up three last edition contestants, Paul Lawri, Nicolas Colsaerts and Francesco Molinari, and eight-time European Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie, for the defense of their Royal Trophy.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)