Golf-Britain and Ireland retain Seve Trophy (Reuters)
September 27, 2009
* Britain and Ireland win fifth Seve Trophy in a row
* Defeat Continental Europe 16 1/2 to 11 1/2
(updates after all matches completed)
By Norman Dabell
VERSAILLES, France, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Britain and Irelandwon their fifth successive Seve Trophy on Sunday withContinental Europe’s fightback proving in vain.
In an absorbing finale, Paul McGinley’s team took the match16 1/2 to 11 1/2 but lost the singles 6-4 to Thomas Bjorn’scontinentals.
After dominating the first three days, Britain and Irelandneeded only two wins from the 10 singles. When Anthony Wallpulled out suffering an injured shoulder and shared a point withSpain’s Alvaro Quiros, it was only one and a half points.
The trophy was secured in the first two matches when RoryMcIlroy edged a pulsating match with world number five HenrikStenson of Sweden by one hole and Graeme McDowell took care oflast year’s European number one Robert Karlsson of Sweden 3 & 2.
In the first match, McIlroy collected an eagle and fivebirdies to Stenson’s eagle and four birdies but it was adouble-bogey by the Swede on the penultimate hole that handedthe match to the Briton.
Both players smashed into trees on the 17th but Stenson thenhit his second shot into the heavy rough, to allow his20-year-old opponent to go ahead. Both made pars at the 18th,McIlroy sinking a nervy four-footer for the win.
“I’d be lying if I said my hands weren’t a little shaky overthe putt on the last,” McIlroy told reporters. “It was a greatresult for the team because of what was happening behind andgood to put the point on the board.”
Stenson, admitted to “fighting my swing all week” but paidtribute to McIlroy.
“He just keeps improving and I fully expect him to be in theRyder Cup squad next year,” Stenson told reporters. “In fact,when he holed a 30-footer I told him I wouldn’t mind playingwith him next October if he keeps rolling them in like that.”
JOB DONE
McDowell was never behind against Karlsson, who was playinghis first tournament for nearly five months after retinalproblems. Although Karlsson got it back to only one down after14, errors by the Swede cost him any chance of recovering thedeficit.
Continental Europe were in the ascendency during McDowelland McIlroy’s matches and were winning all the remaining tiesbefore running out of steam.
“The more blue (of the continentals) I saw on the board Ithought ‘this is going to be more important than we thought,let’s get the job done’,” McDowell told reporters.
“And thankfully I did.”
Bjorn had instructed his team to “play for your pride” andthey responded determinedly, none more so than Dane AndersHansen. The former European PGA champion ran up a staggering 10birdies in 12 holes to crush Englishman Nick Dougherty 7 & 6.
Englishman Robert Rock earned the only other Britain andIreland point by defeating Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano byone hole. Chris Wood of England, with the week’s best record of4 1/2 points, gained a half with Swede Peter Hanson.
Seve Ballesteros, the five-times major champion who createdthe contest, currently recovering from brain tumour surgery, wasunable to make the closing ceremony but congratulated the teamsvia a television broadcast.
“I just finished my radiotherapy. Hopefully I should be okayin about one month,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing youon the seventh edition of the Seve Trophy in two years’ time.” (Editing by Sonia Oxley; To query or comment on this storyemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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