Seve has faith in struggling trio

Darren Clarke, David Howell and Paul McGinley, all of whom plunged down the world rankings after last year’s Ryder Cup heroics, have been given the chance by Seve Ballesteros to start 2008 on a high note.

The three stablemates are part of Europe’s nine-strong team for their defence of the Royal Trophy against Asia in Bangkok on January 11-13.

England’s Graeme Storm, Swedes Niclas Fasth and Robert Karlsson, French pair Gregory Havret and Raphael Jacquelin and Dane Anders Hansen make up the rest of the side.

Clarke, Howell, McGinley and Karlsson were Ballesteros’s four captain’s picks, while the others qualified off the Order of Merit.

The format will again see four foursomes matches the first day, then four fourballs and nine singles. The winners earn over €68,000 per man and the losers €34,000.

The Asian team will be captained for the second time by Japan’s Naomichi “Joe” Ozaki.

Howell, once a member of the world’s top 10, is now 165th on the rankings, McGinley 207th and Clarke 225th even with his third place finish in the recent South African Open.