Team Europe romped to an emphatic 18½-5½ victory over Asia to secure their first win in the EURASIA CUP presented by DRB-HICOM.
As in previous days Ian Poulter again set the tone for Europe, beating Danny Chia 4&3 to put some early blue on the board and quell any hopes of an unlikely fightback from Asia.
Once his fellow Englishmen Lee Westwood and Andy Sullivan had followed Poulter’s lead, beating Nicholas Fung (7&6) and Thongchai Jaidee (4&3) respectively, it was left to their compatriot Danny Willett to deliver the coup de grace.
Willett’s 3&1 defeat of Byeonghun An ensured Europe would become the first side to lift the trophy after the inaugural event in 2014 ended in a 10-10 draw.
Further victories for Matt Fitzpatrick, Chris Wood, Kristoffer Broberg, Victor Dubuisson and Søren Kjeldsen sealed a convincing win for Captain Darren Clarke’s side.
Asia’s only points came courtesy of Anirban Lahiri and KT Kim, who beat Shane Lowry 2&1 and Bernd Wiesberger 3&2 respectively, whilst a birdie putt on the last hole by Jeunghun Wang ensured his match with Ross Fisher finished in a tie.
As in previous days Ian Poulter again set the tone for Europe, beating Danny Chia 4&3 to put some early blue on the board and quell any hopes of an unlikely fightback from Asia.
Once his fellow Englishmen Lee Westwood and Andy Sullivan had followed Poulter’s lead, beating Nicholas Fung (7&6) and Thongchai Jaidee (4&3) respectively, it was left to their compatriot Danny Willett to deliver the coup de grace.
Willett’s 3&1 defeat of Byeonghun An ensured Europe would become the first side to lift the trophy after the inaugural event in 2014 ended in a 10-10 draw.
Further victories for Matt Fitzpatrick, Chris Wood, Kristoffer Broberg, Victor Dubuisson and Søren Kjeldsen sealed a convincing win for Captain Darren Clarke’s side.
Asia’s only points came courtesy of Anirban Lahiri and KT Kim, who beat Shane Lowry 2&1 and Bernd Wiesberger 3&2 respectively, whilst a birdie putt on the last hole by Jeunghun Wang ensured his match with Ross Fisher finished in a tie.
Key quotes
Darren Clarke: “The team have played fantastic this week. I’ve thrown a couple of my ideas at them and aside from that, the team bonding that they have had has been brilliant. What Lee and Poults have brought to the team room has been priceless. They have been very, very good. All the young kids have listened to them, they have all learnt from them.
“So I think it’s been a hugely beneficial week. I always knew this was going to be a very strong team, and the way they have played this week, I have been very, very impressed.”
Lee Westwood: “There are some young lads on this team who are going to be playing in The Ryder Cup later in the year. This has been a great experience for them, just feeding them into team golf gradually. So I’m sure they will benefit hugely from this week – there are nothing but positives to come out of it.”
Ian Poulter: “Danny had nothing to lose so I had to come out and play strong, and that’s what I did today. I played pretty solid, holed some decent putts and obviously made it very difficult for him.
“It’s always nice to play match play golf, whether it’s the start or the end. It’s nice to get that buzz out on the golf course too, get that nervous feeling going.”
Søren Kjeldsen: “It’s just been so nice to be part of a team, and to have Darren and Poulter and Westwood every night standing up, explaining what the challenge is for tomorrow, and see the fire in their eyes. We have all seen it on TV for The Ryder Cup, and you wonder if it will mean the same for them in the EurAsia Cup, but you could really sense this week that it was massive for them as well, and I think that lifted all of us.”
Shane Lowry: “It was obviously a shame that I lost today, but it’s still definitely been one of the best weeks of my career so far. I really enjoyed every minute of it. The lads have been great, and Darren has been great. The team room has been just the best craic ever. It’s one of these weeks which you’ll always remember.”
“So I think it’s been a hugely beneficial week. I always knew this was going to be a very strong team, and the way they have played this week, I have been very, very impressed.”
Lee Westwood: “There are some young lads on this team who are going to be playing in The Ryder Cup later in the year. This has been a great experience for them, just feeding them into team golf gradually. So I’m sure they will benefit hugely from this week – there are nothing but positives to come out of it.”
Ian Poulter: “Danny had nothing to lose so I had to come out and play strong, and that’s what I did today. I played pretty solid, holed some decent putts and obviously made it very difficult for him.
“It’s always nice to play match play golf, whether it’s the start or the end. It’s nice to get that buzz out on the golf course too, get that nervous feeling going.”
Søren Kjeldsen: “It’s just been so nice to be part of a team, and to have Darren and Poulter and Westwood every night standing up, explaining what the challenge is for tomorrow, and see the fire in their eyes. We have all seen it on TV for The Ryder Cup, and you wonder if it will mean the same for them in the EurAsia Cup, but you could really sense this week that it was massive for them as well, and I think that lifted all of us.”
Shane Lowry: “It was obviously a shame that I lost today, but it’s still definitely been one of the best weeks of my career so far. I really enjoyed every minute of it. The lads have been great, and Darren has been great. The team room has been just the best craic ever. It’s one of these weeks which you’ll always remember.”
EUROPE ASIA
MATCH 1: 08.35 Ian POULTER v Danny CHIA
4 & 3
MATCH 2: 08.45 Danny WILLETT v Byeong Hun AN
3 & 1
MATCH 3: 08.55 Andy SULLIVAN v Thongchai JAIDEE
4 & 3
MATCH 4: 09.05 Matthew FITZPATRICK v Kiradech APHIBARNRAT
2 UP
MATCH 5: 09.15 Shane LOWRY v Anirban LAHIRI
2 & 1
MATCH 6: 09.25 Bernd WIESBERGER v K.T. KIM
3 & 2
MATCH 7: 09.35 Lee WESTWOOD v Nicholas FUNG
7 & 6
MATCH 8: 09.45 Ross FISHER v Jeung Hun WANG
AS
MATCH 9: 09.55 Chris WOOD v S.S.P. CHAWRASIA
1 UP
MATCH 10: 10.05 Kristoffer BROBERG v Shingo KATAYAMA
5 & 4
MATCH 11: 10.15 Victor DUBUISSON v WU Ashun
1 UP
MATCH 12: 10.25 Søren KJELDSEN v Prayad MARKSAENG
3 & 2
-www.eurasiacup.com
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