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Continental Europe lead Seve Trophy

28/09/2007

Seve Ballesteros' continental Europe team led 3-2 over Britain and Ireland at the end of the fourballs of the Seve Trophy at the Heritage golf course in Ireland.

The Britain and Ireland team, who are led by Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo, surprisingly struggled more than their European opponents in the blustery Irish weather.

Scottish duo Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren failed to get their team off to the best of starts as they went down 3&1 to Swedish pair Robert Karlsson and Peter Hanson. Karlsson and Hanson carded a superb 11-under-par for the 17 holes they played.

Two other ties were extremely close but eventually went the way of Europe as Paul Casey and Simon Dyson lost 4&3 to Frenchmen Raphael Jacquelin and Gregory Havret. Justin Rose and Oliver Wilson were defeated 3&2 by Austria's Markus Brier and Finland's Mikko Ilonen beat.

The brightest moment of the day for Britain and Ireland came via England's Graeme Storm who putted an 18-foot birdie on the final hole to clinch a one-hole victory alongside Nick Dougherty over Danish duo Soren Hansen and Thomas Bjorn.

Britain and Ireland's other point came through Welshman Bradley Dredge and England's Phillip Archer, who beat Spaniards Miguel Angel Jimenez and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano 2&1.

Britain and Ireland have won the last three Seve Trophy tournaments, but will have to play much better in five more fourballs tomorrow, then greensomes and foursomes on Saturday and ten singles on Sunday if they want to win a fourth trophy.