Today's Edition
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I) wrapped up a Ryder Cup simulation event for European golfers when they beat Continental Europe at the European Tour's unique concept, the Team Cup, in Abu Dhabi following three days of action.
Having stole a march on the first two days, Sunday's proceedings were straight forward although the European contingent put up a fight and did their best until the end on the National Course at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, along the highway to Dubai.
Incidentally, the best international players from around the world in the game of cricket were also playing across the E11 at the Zayed Stadium around the same time Laurie Canter and Tommy Fleetwood picked up the two points that GB&I needed from the day's singles matches.
Justin Rose's side, which went into Sunday with an 11-4 lead in the race to 13 points, after winning the first two sessions 3.5-1.5 and Saturday afternoon's foursomes 4-1, went on to complete a 17-8 victory.
Needing two points to wrap up victory, Canter picked up the first point when he closed out a 5 and 4 win over Frenchman Romain Langasque. When Fleetwood, who was up against another Frenchman in Matthieu Pavon, and Tyrell Hatton, who was facing Thorbjorn Olesen, each moved two up with two to play – securing at least a half-point each – victory was assured.
The impressive Pavon found trouble in a greenside bunker at the 17th and was unable to escape, conceding the match to Fleetwood who was safely on the green and confirming Great Britain and Ireland's win. "It obviously feels great," said Ryder Cup star Fleetwood, who won all four of his points across the week.
"What an unbelievable group of lads we had this week and an unbelievable captain so just a pleasure to be a part of it. Everybody just played so well." Hatton went on to beat Olesen while Justin Rose and Abu Dhabi Golf Championship winner Paul Waring came out on top against Julien Guerrier and Rasmus Neergaerd-Petersen.
The eventual winners threatened a rout as they led in nine of the 10 matches at one stage during the afternoon, but Continental Europe orchestrated a brave fightback. Niklas Norgaard, Antoine Rozner, and Matteo Manassero all picked up points for Continental Europe while halving two games.
Their captain Francesco Molinari came back from two down with seven holes to play to earn half a point against Jordan Smith, and Denmark's Rasmus Højgaard staged an equally impressive comeback as he battled a three-hole deficit with five to play, halving against Aaron Rai.
"The way they've played was first-class," said Rose, who is widely touted as a future Ryder Cup captain. "We tried to go out and be relentless, play wave after wave, had a big lead coming into today and I think everyone thought we could get the job done. Match play is a momentum game for holing the key putt at the right time. The margins are always smaller than maybe the scoreboard looks.”
Rose's counterpart conceded his team fell show and he owned up his share of responsibility. "I think I probably could have done a slightly better job with the boys," Molinari said. "They gave it all they had. Our side was maybe more inexperienced players in this kind of event but they are great guys and they did their best. The GB&I team was just too hard for us this week."
When asked to compare the Ryder Cup with the Team Cup in the tranquil setting of Abu Dhabi, Rose said, "You can't simulate the intensity of a Ryder Cup with the crowd and the energy. But at the end of the day, as soon as you put a crest here and you have 10 mates right behind you, you want to win.
"Even practice rounds playing with our mates on tour, you never like to lose. So the intensity is there. Just the environment is hard to simulate. But like I said, I think that competitive matchplay is so valuable."
