Story highlights
Great Britain and Ireland dominate third day of Vivendi Seve Trophy in France
Holders win six of eight available points to leave Continental Europe trailing
GB and Ireland need just three points on final day to retain trophy
England's Justin Rose leads BMW Championship on PGA Tour
Great Britain & Ireland need just three points in the concluding singles to retain the Vivendi Seve Trophy after dominating the third day Saturday in France.
Paul McGinley’s men secured six of the eight points available to leave Continental Europe with an almost impossible task to deny their opponents the trophy in the biennial team competition.
GB and Ireland lead by 11 1/2 to 6 1/2 points with 10 singles matches to play and McGinley admitted his team had played superbly to open up a big lead.
“Our concentration levels were really good, and we were really up for it. We’re really motivated and really concentrated and we are really focused. We got the job done,” he told the official European Tour website.
“I think my pairings fortunately worked well again, and we were fresh. We were a very fresh team and hopefully that’s going to be the case tomorrow, too.”
Great Britain & Ireland dominated both sessions with Simon Dyson and Jamie Donaldson paving the way in the morning fourballs with a 2 and 1 win over Nicolas Colsaerts and Matteo Manassero.
Ian Poulter was joined by Ryder Cup and World Cup playing partner Ross Fisher in a 2 and 1 win over in-form Thomas Bjorn and Raphael Jacquelin, while World No.2 Lee Westwood and Scott Jamieson were 4 and 3 winners over Spaniards Pablo Larrazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
The Continentals only half point came when Swedes Peter Hanson and Alex Noren finished all square with David Horsey and British Open champion Darren Clarke.
Bjorn, winner of the Johnnie Walker Championship and European Masters in the past month, paired with Danish compatriot Anders Hansen to beat Fisher and Mark Foster 3 and 2 in the afternoon foursomes to give Jean Van De Velde’s men some hope.
Manassero and compatriot Francesco Molinari halved with Robert Rock and Donaldson but Dutch Open champion Dyson chipped in at the 17th to seal a 3 and 1 win for himself and Poulter over Larrazabal and Noren.
Westwood and Horsey wrapped up a superb day for their team with a 4 and 3 victory over Jacquelin and Colsaerts.
Westwood will be up against Bjorn in the opening singles match Sunday with Van De Velde hoping his men can gain some early momentum.
“If we don’t put points on the board straightaway, I’m afraid the competition is going to be over,” he admitted.
GB and Ireland have won the last five stagings of the trophy after Continental Europe claimed the first event in 2000.
On the PGA Tour, England’s Justin Rose shot a two-under par 69 to take four-shot lead after the third round of the $8 million BMW Championship.
Rose has a three round total of 13-under par 200 to take control at the penultimate event of the lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs.
Australian John Senden is in second place on 204, one stroke ahead of his compatriot Geoff Ogilvy and Bill Haas.
