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The European team have fought back on the second day of the Vivendi Seve Trophy
Britain and Ireland now lead by just one point after Europe won three of the five fourballs
The European team, who have only won the tournament only once, now trail 5 1/2 to 4 1/2
Great Britain and Ireland hold a narrow one point lead over Continental Europe after the second day of the Videndi Seve Trophy in Paris, after the European team won three of the five fourballs on Friday.
Europe – who began the day trailing four points to one – have won the event only once, back in 2000, but they began their comeback in the opening match when Swede’s Alex Noren and Peter Hanson thrashed Ian Poulter and Robert Rock 5&3.
Thomas Bjorn and Raphael Jacquelin then fought back from three down to snatch a half from Simon Dyson and Jamie Donaldson, before the European pair of Nicolas Colsaerts and Matteo Manassero defeated Ross Fisher and Scott Jamieson 2 up.
Great Britain and Ireland’s only win came when world number two Lee Westwood and Mark Foster comfortably saw off Anders Hansen and Francesco Molinari 5&3.
But a 3&2 success for Spanish pair Pablo Larrazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez over Darren Clarke and David Horsey in the final match-up ensured just a point separated the teams at the end of the day’s play.
“It was a good reaction after the opening day,” European skipper Jean Van De Velde told reporters. “I’m very happy with what I’ve seen.
“The intensity was there, the commitment was there. None of the players were not on their game, and that’s what I’m very proud of.”
Britain and Ireland skipper Paul McGinley added: “Today was the result they would have wanted, not the one I would have wanted,”
“But when you play professional golf you have good days and you have bad days. We didn’t have as good a day as we did yesterday. It’s not the end of the world.”
