Chonburi (Thailand), Jan 9 (Inditop.com) Indian golfers Jeev Milkha Singh and Gagangjeet Bhullar were outplayed 4 and 3 by Colin Montgomerie and Simon Dyson in the fourballs as Europe stormed back into lead in the annual Royal Trophy golf tournament.
Europe won three of the four matches in fourballs on the second day and took the lead 4 and a half to 3 and a half after Asia had taken a one point lead at 2 and a half to 1 and a half on the first day. The eight singles matches will be held Sunday.
Jeev and Bhullar, who played splendidly on the first day to halve their match with Peter Hanson and Soren Kjeldsen were unable to replicate the same form, while Montgomerie and Dyson, who had lost their respective matches in foursomes on Friday, were in superb form.
Montgomerie said: “Both teams were evenly matched, and we look forward to a great day’s singles. The weather is set fair, and the crowds have been super, very supportive of both teams, so there is plenty to look forward to.”
On his match against the Indians, he added: “We kept both balls in play, and that was key. We hardly missed a fairway between us, and that’s why we came out victorious.”
Dyson said: “I chipped in twice, and my short game has been very good. Even when I lost in the foursomes I was playing alright, and my chipping was good.”
At no stage was the European pair in trouble. They went one up with a Dyson birdie on the third and both birdied the fifth, as the Indians managed only pars. On the sixth, Monty birdied and they were three up.
On the back nine, the Indian pair fought back. Both birdied the tenth and then Bhullar had a birdie on the 11th as the lead was brought down to one up. But from 12th to the 14th, Dyson had three birdies in a row and Monty birdied the 12th and 14th as they ran up a 4 up lead. The two teams halved the 15th hole and the Europeans won the match four up, with three holes to go and win the first full point of the second day and that levelled the two teams at 2 and a half each.
Charlie Wi and Liang wen-chong gave Asia a huge 5-up win over Peter Hanson and Soren Kjeldsen to win a full point and give Asia the lead at 3 and a half to 2 and a half.
But a little later Robert Karlsson and Alexander Noren outplayed Ryo Ishikawa and Koumei Oda 6 up after 14 to ensure Europe were on the right track for a comeback to level the scores again.
In the last match, Henrik Stenson and Pablo Martin inflicted on Thais Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng their first loss in two years to give Europe the lead at 5 and a half to 4 and a half. The Europeans won 3 up after 17 as Stenson had four birdies in seven holes between the 10th and 17th.
On the first day, Montgomerie partnering Pablo Martin had lost their match in foursomes to Ishikawa and Oda 3 and 2. Dyson had also lost his first day’s match with Henrik Stenson as they were beaten 3 and 1 by Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng.
Jeev Milkha Singh and Gaganjeet Bhullar secured a hard-fought half with S�ren Kjeldsen and Peter Hanson, with Singh sinking a clutch five-footer to keep the match all square at the last. The Swedish pairing of Robert Karlsson and Alexander Noren were Europe’s only winners on first day. They cruised to a 4 and 2 success over Charlie Wi and Liang Wen-chong.
rounak